The Bond of Silver and Gold
by ILuvKaoruxHikaru
Summary: What happens when Inuyasha and the gang meet up with a mysterious girl with golden hair and unusual powers? Through tests and smiles, Inuyasha will discover that this girl has not only a head full of golden hair, but a heart of gold as well. OCxInuyasha
1. Chapter 1: A Glimmer of Mystery

The Bond of Silver and Gold

Chapter 1: A Glimmer of Mystery

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of the original characters, plot, or storyline. I only own my fan-made character and her story.

Note: Anything in _italics_ is a character's thoughts in their head or their inner dialogue.

Well, we all know how this goes. Inuyasha was roped into another "save the village" mission… or so that's what he assumed when his eyes followed the direction of Kagome's pointed index finger. If the world was a body, then this village would have been as insignificant as a freckle.

"Are you sure there is a jewel shard somewhere inside that village?" groaned Inuyasha. He was always stuck doing the dirty work.

"Positive," replied Kagome, "it's faint, but it's unmistakable."

"Who would possess a jewel shard in such a small village?" wondered Miroku.

"Guess we better check it out," added Sango.

The party ventured into the tiny community, with Kagome in front. She was following the flicker of the jewel, steadily getting closer and closer. Sitting under a shade tree was a young woman with jet black hair and a mask that concealed her face. The mask was painted to perfection, pale white with gold and silver paint strokes curling into the creation of patterns. Beneath her kimono, lying across her collarbone was the shard.

"_Who is this girl? Is she a demon? I don't sense an aura… so how did she get ahold of the jewel?" _Kagome wondered to herself.

"What is it Kagome? Why'd you stop?" Inuyasha said, breaking her concentration.

"It's that girl. She has the shard," answered Kagome.

"Seriously?" retorted Inuyasha.

Kagome nodded and was about to speak once more when she was cut off by a villager who noticed the gang's stares toward the girl. The villager was an old man, but with age grew wisdom, "You all seem interested in the masked slayer."

"Masked slayer?" asked Sango, "You mean a demon slayer?"

"That's what she told us. She said she sensed something evil was coming and wanted to stay and vanquish whatever it was. Though kind, the girl appears to make everyone who crosses her path feel as though they're walking on broken shards of glass. Her eyes are all that are truly seen, and they shine like emeralds torn from a mountain," explained the old man, seeming to go on and on, "Yes, her eyes are beautiful, but no one has ever seen her face."

"Why does she wear the mask?" questioned Miroku.

"I'm not too sure," answered the man, "There are rumors that the girl has been burned and hides her face because she doesn't want anyone to see the terrible scarring left behind. Others say that she hides behind the mask because her beauty brings men to their knees. Though the mask has a subtle smile, others say she has been cursed to pain and sorrow for life, and can no longer muster a smile of her own."

"All sounds like a bunch of crap to me," growled Inuyasha, growing impatient.

"Inuyasha," sighed Kagome.

"Maybe it's best if we get the answers ourselves. I do not sense a demonic presence nearby, so she is in fact human. She's probably harmless," Miroku couldn't help but wonder just how beautiful this young woman really was.

That's all Inuyasha needed to hear. Without even realizing it, his feet moved before his mind, and before he knew it, he stood over the girl. His arms were crossed, as if he was about to interrogate her, "What's your problem?" he barked.

Kagome and the others came toward the two to rescue the poor girl from Inuyasha's attitude.

The girl slowly got to her feet, her head lowered, she gradually let her eyes meet Inuyasha's, and he was completely cut off guard. Even to him, her eyes were enchanting, though he'd never admit it aloud, "Move," was the word of warning that escaped behind the mask.

"What?" asked Inuyasha in confusion.

"It's coming," she murmured.

Out from the nearby tree line sprang an enormous body of moldy green. With bared fangs that were tainted with yellow, and eyes bathed in bloody crimson, the beast let out a roar that made the ground tremble, "An ogre?" wondered Miroku aloud. How come they didn't sense this demon before? Where they so caught up in the girl that they hadn't noticed? A blur rushed passed the group of misfits and raced toward the magnificent specimen of a monster.

"She can't be serious!" Miroku yelled.

"An ogre is quite intense for even the most skillful demon slayer. There's no way one person alone can destroy it. Not a mere human," explained Sango.

Kagome gasped, "It has a jewel shard!"

Inuyasha grunted with enthusiasm, "That's all I needed to hear!" unsheathing the deadly sword known as Tetsaiga, "He's mine!"

Suddenly, the masked girl sprang into action, her hands glowing a vibrant green color. Jumping upward, almost flying…? She was using the generated light from her hands to cut the beast in half! It was amazing! Like she had a sword in her possession that could cut through diamond, but there was no sword. And like that, the ogre's body split in two and evaporated. From the mist of carcass fell the jewel shard. In a second's time, the shard was in the palm of the girl's hand. Landing gracefully to the ground she stared at the jewel that took no time at all for her to retrieve.

"How did she-?" started Kagome, but she couldn't form the words.

By now, Inuyasha was fuming with rage, "Dammit! What the hell are you!" he was almost tempted to swing his sword and unleashing the Wind Scar, but he had second thoughts. If this was just a human girl, he couldn't bring himself to kill her. She hadn't really done anything wrong.

The girl turned her head and seemed to be caught off guard. She leapt high into the air, almost as if she was frightened! The clawed hand of the ogre had not yet disappeared and was after revenge. Making one last effort to destroy her he swung at her. -Crack! The mask split in two!

Inuyasha had his sword pointed outward, ready to get at least one good lick into the remains of the beast, when suddenly a pair of feet balanced perfectly atop his blade. Once again, his eyes were staring into emerald gems, but this time, it was completely different somehow. He was so shocked, he couldn't move. The wind picked up, and a mess of black hair floated away, but under where the black once lay was not baldness, but a mess of golden waves that crashed and curved like a waterful down the back of the girl. Her hair was almost as long as Inuyasha's.

"_A girl with golden hair?"_ thought Miroku, _"Of all the women I've seen, never have I laid eyes on one with such rich golden hair…"_

"_What's Inuyasha thinking? He seems almost startled by her…" _thought Kagome.

"_She's balancing on the blade of the Tetsaiga… this isn't some ordinary human…"_ observed Sango.

Inuyasha opened his mouth to form words, but just when he was about to speak, the girl's face moved closer to his and he suddenly felt an enormous force hurl him back into a tree. Where Inuyasha once stood, the girl took his place. She watched Inuyasha, almost like she was trying to figure him out, "What the hell did you do that for!" barked the half demon boy who was back to his normal rage.

"What… is she?" turning to the voice the girl noticed that villagers were starting to gather. She knew that look. They felt threatened, even though she saved them, they didn't fear the ogre anymore, but they definitely feared her. Golden hair, green eyes that resembled gemstones… beams of light almost like they were cast down from heaven cut through a monster like a blade. Was she a demon in disguise?

"You're not welcome here demon!" yelled an old woman as she threw a rock at the once masked hero, now face of a demon. The rock was poorly aimed, and would have just missed the girl if she hadn't reached out and caught it.

"Leave at once, or we'll kill you!" yelled another villager.

"You lied to us! You made us believe you were here to help us, but you're the only monster I see!" exclaimed yet another.

"Hold on!" said Kagome, "I knew it's hard to believe, but she's not a demon!"

"How would you know girl? You travel with some low life half-breed!" argued a man.

More stones started to be cast at the golden haired girl. And like that, she disappeared into the nearby tree line. Prying himself from the tree which now held his outline, Inuyasha sheathed his sword and raced off after the girl.

"Inuyasha!" yelled Kagome, but he was already gone, "let's follow him," she suggested, turning to the others.

"Right," nodded Sango, as they sprang into action in the pursuit of their half demon companion and the mysterious green eyed girl.

Deep in the forest Inuyasha was in hot pursuit of this girl who happened to humiliate him. What did she have against him? He didn't even do anything! He immediately stopped when her scent seemed to come to an end. Scanning the trees with his eyes he listened closely to the sounds of the forest. Not only was this girl skilled in fighting, but boy was she fast. Almost like that mangy wolf, Koga, but then again… perhaps even faster? No way…

From the tree tops she landed in front of Inuyasha and they were in a staring chokehold of silence. Taking a deep breath, she held out the two jewel shards in her left hand, "This is why you're following me yes? If I give these to you, will you please leave me alone?"

The jewel shards… in all honesty, Inuyasha had forgotten about them for a second. He was just so curious about her, but now that she mentioned it… "Why the heck would you collect them just to give them away? I figured you had more guts than that. Are you scared of me or something?" he fired questions at her like a loaded gun.

"I merely collected these shards from the demons I killed just so they wouldn't fall into the hands of a greedy human or another demon, but you can take them. I have no use for them," the girl answered.

Finally, the others had caught up with the two they were chasing, "Inuyasha," said Kagome. Taken back by the girl, Kagome got a good look at her for the first time, _"Wow, she really is something… but… she doesn't seem like she's from around here. She looks almost… foreign… like an American, but… how can that be?"_

"Tell me, where is it you're from? Please, we aren't going to hurt you," assured Kagome.

The girl glanced over at Kagome and caught on to her clothes, "Y-You wouldn't happen to be from… the future would you?" asked the girl. Kagome watched as the girl removed her kimono, revealing that she had modern clothes underneath it. A black tank top and green shorts, the girl looked as if she had stepped out of a modern day America.

"No way…" murmured Kagome.

The gang moved out of the creepy forest and into a more suitable place to sit and talk. Beneath some shady trees they gathered around in a circle and started a conversation they were all dying to hear.

"You're from America aren't you? How did you learn Japanese?" asked Kagome.

"Yes, I'm American. I took some in high school, plus I watch a lot of anime. Go figure." shrugged the girl.

"How in the world did you end up here?" asked Kagome. Only Inuyasha and her could pass through the Bone Eater's Well. Were there other ways to travel back to the feudal era?

"This I do not know… I just woke up here about six weeks ago… these abilities I have… I don't know where they come from… and I just figured this whole thing was just one big dream. I keep telling myself I'll wake up… but every day… it seems as if the nightmare gets worse," the girl started to look out at the nearby field in a daze, like she was reliving the past few weeks of her life, "I just remember waking up to some sweaty bandits trying to take advantage of me… and I freaked out… I think I killed them… but I don't remember how I got here… it's like before I appeared here, my mind is blank. I remember my parents, my friends at school, and all that, but…" the girl sighed.

"That's just so weird…" said Kagome, also lost in thought. Every time she traveled back she was conscious.

"Could it be that something tragic happened to you before you dropped in?" asked Miroku, unable to hold back his curiosity any longer.

"What do you mean?" answered the girl with a question.

"Well, it's just a guess, but perhaps your mind is blocking out what happened to make you come here on purpose, because the memory is much too painful." Miroku answered.

The girl lowered her gaze, and felt something start to tug at her heart strings. Was he right?

"How rude of me," broke in Kagome, trying to pull the girl from her thoughts, "my name is Kagome Higurashi. These are my friends Miroku the monk, Sango the demon slayer with her partner Kirara, and that angry boy with the dog ears is Inuyasha."

"Don't forget me Kagome!" yelled Shippo.

"That's Shippo the fox demon," explained Kagome with a smile.

"It's nice to meet you all. My name is Chelsea," at last the name of the girl was revealed.

"Be honest," started Miroku, "have you ever, in your last six weeks, done anything that would make the villagers hate you?"

"The only humans I killed where the men who tried to do horrible things to me… and that was by accident… that's when I realized I had these abilities," nodded Chelsea, "but… I wore the wig and mask for a reason. When people see me, they fear me. I look different… I've been called a demon, a half demon, a freak… all of it… I hate it… so I hide," she half smiled, in sadness, "Those last ones cast stones… but that's not nearly as bad as the village before them… when one of the children saw me without the mask they told one of the villagers… and in turn they set the place I was sleeping in on fire…"

"_She speaks of it so casually, like it's such a common reoccurrence…"_ thought Kagome, now frowning, "That's just horrible."

"We humans aren't that great to begin with," shrugged Chelsea again. Taking a deep breath she stood to her feet, "Anyway, I've taken up much of your time, and I should be on my way."

"Where will you go?" Kagome started to sound worried.

"Wherever I guess… I just kind of drift here and there…" replied the golden haired girl. Turning to Inuyasha she walked up to him. He was pouting on the other side of the tree. Holding the jewel shards out to him, she dropped them in his hand, "I'm sorry I slammed you into that tree. I got scared, but that's no excuse. It makes me look no better than those villagers," she forced a smile, "Take good care of these for me okay?" starting on her way down the hill she waved goodbye.

"Are we just going to let her leave?" asked Kagome into the open air.

"Men could try to go after her again…" muttered Sango with worry.

"Or a demon like Naraku might get ahold of her." Miroku said, weighing the possible outcomes.

Inuyasha stood to his feet and rolled his shoulders, "She's strong. She can handle herself."

"Couldn't she come with us for a while?" asked Kagome.

"We should let her come. She doesn't seem that bad, and she could probably help us get jewel shards," smiled Shippo.

"It would be nice to have a beautiful woman like her in our party," agreed Miroku.

"Your logic _would_ turn to that monk," growled Sango.

Inuyasha let the idea rattle around in his brain, _"When people see me, they fear me. I look different… so I hide." _He knew that feeling better than anyone else. Letting a sigh escape his pouty lips he turned to the others, "Just for a little while… once she starts getting in the way though, she's on her own." turning to the hill he rolled his eyes, "I'll go get her," and like that, he was off to fetch the mysterious girl with the golden hair.

"_I knew you'd understand Inuyasha…"_ thought Kagome, letting her smile return.

Author's notes: I've wanted to write this for a few months now, but I've been in a funk and just haven't been able to get myself to until now. Sorry if there's spelling or grammar mistakes… it's late so there's bound to be a lot. I have fun things in store so stick around and check it out. Thanks for reading. It's nice to write again. Hope to update soon. See you at chapter 2 =]


	2. Chapter 2: Gina: Tangled Vines of Iron

The Bond of Silver and Gold

Chapter 2: Gina: Tangled Vines of Iron

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of the original characters, plot, or storyline. I only own my fan-made character and her story.

Deep within the lush, suffocating darkness of a forest's core was a nest of vines. Weaving together and creating a massive hive of thorns where a woman made her home, but not just any woman. This woman was a demon with raspberry colored irises, and pale skin that almost shimmered with green. Her hair was tangled into a long, blackish braid that extended down her back. Resting crisscross across her back were two magnificent swords that were tainted with evil… and human blood. A low hum escaped her lips, "The jewel shards are approaching… it won't be long now," two glimmers appeared in both blades possessed by her; Shards, choking with darkness.

A few days had passed since the arrival of Chelsea, the mysterious modern day girl with the golden hair. She knew not why or how she was here, and unless it's general recollection of her past, all was a blur. The group seemed to warm up to her quickly, though she was very quiet and seemed to just observe. Kagome was most curious. What had happened to her, to make her just appear her out of nowhere? And then Miroku's theory kept coming to mind… but what could have happened that was so tragic to make her lose bits of her memory?

"Kagome," started Chelsea, looking toward her for a response.

"Huh, yeah?" answered Kagome.

"I just… wanted to say thank you again. It was very kind of you and your friends to allow me to travel with you all for a while," Chelsea said with a half-smile.

"Don't mention it," grin Kagome. For once, she wished she could just see the girl genuinely smile.

"So Chelsea," the two heard the voice coming from the ever so lecherous monk as he came up from behind her, "I'm sure this must be so difficult for you, but just let me say that if there is anything I can do to comfort you, please do not hesitate to ask."

An ominous black cloud seemed to hang over the demon slayer named Sango. Her eyes seemed to be trying to cut Miroku into tiny pieces.

"No thank you," replied Chelsea. This surprised everyone, "No offense, but you're really not my type."

Miroku seemed totally caught off guard. Without even realizing it, Chelsea took a giant stab at his lecherous pride.

Slowly Kagome's eyes turned to the greenery down the path ahead of them, "That's strange… I could swear I sense Sacred Jewel Shards coming from in there."

"Really Kagome?" asked Inuyasha, starting to tune back into the conversation. His mind was completely elsewhere when idle chitchat was to be had.

"There's a very evil presence coming from that direction," warned Miroku, brushing off the rocky start with the new girl.

"We should go check it out," said Chelsea.

"Don't have to tell me twice. Come on!" declared the half demon as he raced off toward the shards, and their master.

As the group entered into the woods they all felt the presence that Miroku mentioned. It was almost like every tree, bush, and blade of grass had a mind of its own. As the group walked together however, Chelsea noticed that Kagome's body started to glow. Out of fear she reached out to grab her and before she knew it, she was blinded by a light. When the light dimmed, both girls were in a clearing.

Sango looked back to check on the girls and was shocked to find them gone, "Kagome? Chelsea?"

"What happened? Where did they go?" asked Inuyasha, starting to panic.

"I'm not really sure. They were here a second ago." Sango replied.

"It must be an illusion of the forest." Miroku commented.

"Dammit!" growled Inuyasha.

"Where are we?" asked Kagome to her new friend.

"I'm not really sure." Chelsea answered, "Perhaps this is some kind of trap."

"My name is Gina of the Thorns. Give me the jewel shards," called a voice. At once, the female demon known as Gina made herself known to them, "Hand them over, or I'll claim both of your lives!"

"That's not going to happen," declared Kagome, reaching over her shoulder to grab for her bow and arrows but they couldn't be found, _"No way… where did my bow go?"_

Unmasking the swords on her back, Gina let a growl escape her lips, "This is your last warning. Hand them over now."

Chelsea stepped in front of Kagome. Kagome couldn't believe it. Was she going to fight this demon? "Listen, you have some nerve trying to pick a fight with a girl who isn't even armed. I'll take you on." Chelsea wasted no time to leap into the air at Gina.

"Foolish mortal girl, perish!" roared Gina as she swung her left sword toward Chelsea.

Chelsea dodged it just in the nick of time. Her hands started to glow a radiant light once again. The light was like fire, but burned like the sun, there wasn't anything this light couldn't cut through, and throughout the past few weeks, the girl had mastered such a technic quite well. She could even throw balls of this energy if necessary to attack her opponent at a distance.

"Chelsea, she has two jewel shards! One in each of her swords! Be careful!" cried Kagome, _"Inuyasha, where are you?"_

Faster than the eye can blink, Chelsea put a scratch across the lady demon's pale face, "You witch!" yelled Gina, forcing her back. Chelsea landed gracefully on the ground and stared up at Gina, but before she could react, the unthinkable happened. Her swords, they started to extend, in gaps, and move like… thorny whips! Chelsea deflected the blades and shot them away from her but it wasn't long before the blades glided back at her.

"Kagome, get back!" instructed Chelsea, still defending herself, unable to take the offensive route. The little bit of concentration that was lost in her worry for Kagome was the edge Gina needed. Suddenly, small streams of blood seem to dribble from the arms and stomach of Chelsea. The blades were constricted so tightly around her, that it left her immobilized.

Gina smirked at the dismay that cracked across Chelsea's face, "I have you now. You will never be able to escape. Struggle, struggle until you bleed out. The more you struggle, the tighter the blades become, and eventually they will tear you to pieces."

Kagome gasped, _"Inuyasha! Hurry!"_

Chelsea pondered her next move. If she could just get her hands around the neck of these carving death traps, she could finish Gina. Even if the blades started to bury themselves deeper into her flesh, she could feel her hands reach freedom.

The luck started to turn around when the illusion became broken and the others finally appeared. The forest was all an illusion dreamt up by Gina, "What the hell?" Inuyasha cried.

"Inuyasha! Help Chelsea!" shouted the worried school girl.

"Not necessary," grunted Chelsea, regaining the access of her hands, she gripped the blades, and used them to guide her light fire across the blades to burn Gina. Leaping out of its death grip, Chelsea distanced herself from the she demon and planned her next move.

"She's covered in blood," murmured Miroku, _"How can she still be standing? It's amazing."_

"Kirara," ordered Sango, "go get Chelsea. She is unfit to fight any further in this battle."

Just as Chelsea started toward the demon once more, Kirara leapt in front of her. As if an enormous feline would keep Chelsea from getting those jewel shards. Sliding like a baseball player on his way to home, Chelsea was lying at the feet of her enemy with her hands raised like a loaded gun, "Die!" She sent a blast like a beam from heaven, causing Gina to fall backward. Reaching for one of the demon's now dropped blades, Chelsea leapt into the air and threw the sword swiftly, severing her head from her shoulders. Landing in the middle of the battlefield, she stood proudly. It was quite an accomplishment, not to mention a big risk, but she had beat Gina of the Thorns.

"Chelsea!" called Kagome, running up to her.

"Are you okay?" asked Shippo with frantic worry.

"I'm just fine," smiled the green eyed girl wearily, "Here Kagome, I snagged them while she had a snag on me." She held out the jewel shards to give to her new friend.

"_This girl is incredible… no ordinary human could still be standing after that…"_ thought Inuyasha, completely thrown by the whole situation, "Are you crazy!" growled Inuyasha, suddenly showing his temper, "you could have been killed."

"I do what I have to," was Chelsea's response.

"But your wounds are so severe," said Sango with a frown.

"If I hadn't done something, you might have found both Kagome and I in pools of blood. Look, I'm alright anyway, so can we just go?" Chelsea said justifying her actions. As she went to take a step however, it was like all the adrenaline had rushed out of her body, and she started to fall. Inuyasha caught her just before she hit the ground.

"I knew she was just putting up a front. There was no way she wasn't in a great deal of pain," said Sango, feeling sympathy for the girl.

Inuyasha felt for her as well. Not only did she protect Kagome, but the girl did it knowing that she might bleed to death. She was loyal, even though she barely knew them. Yet… was it because of their kindness, that she felt the need to protect Kagome? He wasn't sure, but she needed to be thanked, whenever he could muster up the effort to do so. Letting out a harsh sigh he turned to Kagome, "Why don't you and Sango take her to the nearby stream and clean the blood off of her. Bandage her up, she'll pull through."

"I hope so…" whispered Kagome with worry.

"Don't you worry. She's too damn stubborn to die over something like that. Plus she got us two jewel shards today… I suppose we should be grateful…" it was Inuyasha's way of trying to put the gang's mind at ease. Though her body suffered a great deal of pain, Chelsea's spirit was burning like the fire that rested within her palms.

Author's notes: Yay! Chapter 2! =D Whelp, I have work all weekend, and I doubt I'll find the strength to update Saturday night, so maybe [maybe] look for one Sunday. I'll really try. And thanks to everyone who is reading and reviewing. It means so much to me that you're giving my story a read. Thank you =]


	3. Chapter 3: A Glimmer of Tranquility

The Bond of Silver and Gold

Chapter 3: A Glimmer of Tranquility

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of the original characters, plot, or storyline. I only own my fan-made character and her story.

Miraculously, Chelsea was conscious the following day. She had taken a great deal of physical stress and fatigue, and the fact that she could even pull herself to her feet was surprising. This girl continued to amaze the group. One thing was for sure: beneath that mystery was a spiritual presence that seemed to leak from her, giving her that lustrous glow. She was lovely even battered and bruised.

"How're you feeling?" asked Kagome sincerely.

"I'm just fine Kagome. Don't worry about me," half-smiled Chelsea, taking a sip of water Kagome poured in a cup for her. Taking to her feet, she paused, "I'm going to go rest. I don't know how long Inuyasha's patience will last, so I figure I should take advantage of the opportunity while I have the chance."

Kagome nodded, returning her smile, "I see you've caught on to his restlessness, but to be honest, he seems sort of worried about your condition… in his own way. You take as much time as you need."

Chelsea walked off from their camp to find some place quieter where she could be alone with her thoughts. Taking a seat under a tree near a river she watched as the shadows of the leaves danced all around her, _"Inuyasha, why is it that when I see him, my stomach feels queasy?" _This feeling had been a reoccurring experience for her, _"Those eyes… they look right down into me."_ She recalled the time when they first met. Their eyes locked onto one another's and for that single second, all the inner pain she harbored went away. He seemed to give her relief… but why?

Taking a deep breath her eyes wandered to the trees on the other side of the stream, that's when something perked her interest. There seemed to be a glimmer, coming from deep within the maze of green, _"Perhaps a jewel shard?"_ Could she see them too perhaps? Staggering back to her feet, she decided to go it alone. Maybe then at least the only one she'd be putting in danger would be herself.

Little did she know, liquid golden eyes peered down at her from the tree adjacent to the one she took refuge under just moments ago. Chelsea wasn't the only one who wanted to be alone. Inuyasha was also the type who liked to sort through his latest experiences, but when Chelsea walked up, he couldn't pull himself away from the tree. Whether it be because he didn't want to disturb her, or for some other reason was unsure. All he knew was that he enjoyed just being there with her. Something about her was so calming inside the storm. So when he saw her heading to the other side of the river and into the trees, he started to feel a wave of panic wash over him. Where could she be going all alone and in her condition? Quietly, he decided to pursue her in the tree tops.

Chelsea made it to a clearing and spotted the glimmering inside a cave. She felt a sinking feeling in her stomach as she approached the cave and looked inside. Was it really a good idea to go into this dark abyss all alone? She couldn't turn back now. Taking a few steps inside, she advanced deeper and deeper into the dark cave. Once she was far enough, the entrance started to close up. Seeing this made Inuyasha leap into action and not a moment later, or he would have been crushed by the cave entrance.

The darkness seemed to swallow Chelsea whole. Fear deep inside her started crawling and gnawing at her brain. This was her first real moment of vulnerability and Inuyasha was about to see it firsthand. As soon as he bumped into her by mistake, she reared her fist back glowing a fiery color for a torch as well as a weapon to whoever snuck up on her. When she looked into his eyes, she sudden felt a rush of relief, "I-Inuyasha?" she asked.

"What do you think you're doing going off on your own? Especially when you're hurt!" he started to lecture her when out of the blue, he felt her arms lock around his body in an embrace. He didn't know what to be more surprised by: the hug, or her fierce trembling, "What's wrong?" he asked gently.

"Don't laugh," She mumbled into his chest, as her face was currently hiding there, "I'm deathly afraid of the dark."

"Seriously?" he answered with a bit of humor in his voice, "someone like _you_ afraid of the dark?"

"I have been ever since I was little…" she pulled away and lit her hand on fire again so they could see one another. Her face was a bright pigment of red, "I'm sorry, I was just so happy to see you…"

"_She was happy to see… me?"_ he thought, "Doofus, didn't you think maybe a cave would be dark? And why'd come in here anyway?"

"I thought I saw something sparkling… I thought it might be a jewel shard… and I didn't want to pass up a chance to get another for you all…" she murmured.

He watched her speak, and couldn't believe that was on her mind, even when she looked so beat up, "Look, you've collected enough jewel shards for now. Let me take care of it for a while so you can rest."

_Kagome nodded, returning her smile, "I see you've caught on to his restlessness, but to be honest, he seems sort of worried about your condition… in his own way. You take as much time as you need." _Was he really that worried? Over someone he barely even knew? Didn't seem likely from Inuyasha… and yet.

"The exit closed off… so I think our best bet is to go through the cave to find another way out," taking the lead, Inuyasha started to walk. Chelsea's light was so bright he could see fairly well ahead of him, but when he felt her hand take his, he felt his cheeks turn scarlette with embarrassment, "Uh..?"

"Sorry, guess I should have asked first, but can I take your hand?" she said, almost afraid of his answer.

"_Wow, she's really scared. I've never seen her like this before… she can face down a demon like it's no big deal, but stick her in a dark room and she turns as vulnerable as a child…"_ Giving her hand a comforting squeeze, he let a small smile appear on his face, "Sure."

Chelsea mirrored his smile, and for that instant, he couldn't help but think to himself that there was never a time when she didn't look more beautiful. Her smile, it made her that much more luminous. Why didn't she do that more often?

As they walked, both were trying to think of something to say to break the awkward silence, but neither could find the words. Let's face it; neither of them was made for small talk, so Chelsea just said the first thing that came to mind, "You must think I'm pretty silly, being terrified of something as trivial as the dark."

"Yeah, that's a pretty irrational fear," admitted Inuyasha, as blunt as ever.

"I'm sorry," she said lowering her head, "I guess it's not the darkness itself, but the uncertainty. I don't like not knowing what's ahead of me… plus someone could sneak up on you in the dark."

"If you always knew what was coming, it'd be boring. And don't worry, if you ever get scared… I'll be right there," Inuyasha's words were so genuine. It made Chelsea melt a little.

Speaking of surprises, the two were certainly in for one when the floor gave out from under their feet. Together they fell deeper and deeper into the darkness.

Back at camp, the sun started to set, which started to stir something inside of Kagome. No one had seen Chelsea or Inuyasha in quite a few hours. The party decided they needed to go looking for the duo, but when they were near the entrance to the cave, it was completely overlooked. They didn't see anything other than a rock wall.

When Chelsea's eyes opened, she ignited her hand once more to get a look around. Below her laid an unconscious Inuyasha, who must have held tightly onto her and took the brunt of the fall in order to keep her intact, "Inuyasha?" she asked. She stared down at his emotionless face and started to worry. Shooting a ball of energy at the ceiling of the cave, it fluttered above them like a beaming butterfly. It would only last for a short time, but she needed both of her hands at the moment.

Taking Inuyasha's face in her hands worry was growing more and more inside the pit of her stomach, "Inuyasha," she whined, "please, wake up."

He started to stir into an awakened state once more and when his vision focused, he was staring into the eyes that he started to really enjoy looking into. That smile spread across her face again, as a small tear started to peak out under her eye, she hugged him once more and whispered, "thank goodness…"

Without thinking, he put his arm around her waist, as if to return the gesture, "We fell deeper I think…"

Suddenly getting embarrassed, realizing the fact that she was on top of him, she removed herself immediately and helped him to his feet, "It would appear so," she mumbled, returning her fire back to the palm of her hand.

That's when Inuyasha smelled it, "The smell of flowers… I think we're near an exit."

"Really?" she asked, as they pressed forward down the trial. Gradually, it became unnecessary for Chelsea to keep her hand lit. They had reached a clearing, and a beautiful, calming one at that. A meadow full of flowers with a stream running through it, "Wow…" said the breathless girl, completely amazed by the sight.

"So this is what was on the other side of that cave huh?" said Inuyasha flatly, almost unimpressed.

Chelsea laid down in a large patch of flowers and stared up at the star infected sky. Taking a seat beside her, Inuyasha looked down at her, "Don't you think we should find the others?"

"They're almost here… I don't want them to miss this," smiled Chelsea.

"How do you know-?" he started to ask, when he heard the familiar voice of Kagome call out to him. When he looked back down at Chelsea, she was fast asleep, _"Guess the little hike wore her out."_ Stretching, he popped his left shoulder and turned toward his group of friends. They all had the same expression Chelsea did when she saw the place. Must be a human thing, "Come on. We'll rest here for the night."

"Okay," replied Kagome, relieved that Chelsea and Inuyasha were alright. She wondered where they had gone, and so Inuyasha started to explain. For once, nothing majorly wrong went wrong… he could rest easy. It was all because of the golden haired girl that his heart was starting to grow attached to. He seemed to be very thankful for her lately. She always brought the group together somehow. Maybe the chaos wouldn't be kept at bay for long, but for now, in this sanctuary, these heroes could take a well-deserved rest.

Writer's notes: Chapter 3 completed! I said I'd try to write on Sunday, and so I did. I know there wasn't a lot of action, but I wanted to have Chelsea and Inuyasha spend some time together. They hadn't spoken much up until this point, but they already seem quite attached. It was kind of a metaphorical chapter I guess… Anyway, thanks for reading and see you at chapter 4! =]


	4. Chapter 4: Weep Not For The Memories

The Bond of Silver and Gold

Chapter 4: Weep Not For the Memories

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of the original characters, plot, or storyline. I only own my fan-made character and her story.

"Hey!" it just hit her suddenly, "Chelsea! Why don't you try going home with me?" asked Kagome.

"You think I could?" wondered Chelsea.

"Well if you're really from modern times I would think you should be able to. I have to go back and get more medicine and food, so why don'tcha come along?" answered Kagome.

"I guess it's worth a try…" murmured Chelsea. Could she really go home?

"Where do you think you're going?" grimaced Inuyasha in disapproval.

"It hit me that Chelsea and I are from the same time. So if that's true she should be able to pass through the well with me. I need to go back home for supplies anyway." Kagome flipped her backpack onto her shoulder as she spoke.

"But… if Chelsea can travel to your time Kagome then…" Shippo started to say.

"She'll be able to go back home to her foreign country correct?" asked Miroku.

Inuyasha's ears perked up even if he was turned away in one of his pouting fits.

"I never thought about that…" whispered Kagome glancing over at Chelsea.

"_I could really go home and see mom and dad again?"_ thought Chelsea, _"My friends… school, my job…"_

"Feh," pouted Inuyasha, "if you have a way of getting her home safely then do it. Just make sure you hurry back Kagome."

Chelsea's chest started to hurt hearing Inuyasha's words. She had grown so attached to all of them, could she really just say goodbye like none of it mattered? "Inuyasha…" whispered Chelsea almost breathlessly.

"Well, let's get going I guess…" said Kagome, feeling guilty now. She didn't think of the fact that this might be the last time they were ever all together again.

Shippo started to cry, "Chelsea, I'm gonna miss you," whined the fox child.

Chelsea swooped Shippo up in her arms and snuggled him gently, "I'll miss you too Shippo," the two had grown fairly close in their time together. Shippo almost found himself having feelings for the girl.

"We're all going to miss you," nodded Sango.

"Come on you guys, lighten up. She's finally going to go home where it's safe. No more tears," said Inuyasha without any emotion,_ "I'm gonna miss her… but she's been through hell and back… I don't want her to suffer anymore… I want her to smile more, to laugh… I want her to be happy… there's no way she could be happy here."_ Without another word Inuyasha decided he needed sometime alone.

As Chelsea and Kagome made their way to the well, Chelsea reflected on the time she had spent here. There were so many bad, troubling memories… but with this band of friends, the wounds started to heal. She finally felt she had something dependable, but now… it hurt so badly to just abruptly walk away from it all.

Standing atop the rim of the well Kagome turned to Chelsea, "Ready?"

Chelsea looked over her shoulder one last time, trying to remember the sights, sounds, and smells of this place, for she may never return here again. Taking a deep breath, she took Kagome's hand, and nodded. As the two fell down the well a great light engulfed them and when they emerged from the well, they were in the Higurashi shrine.

"_I made it… I'm… home,"_ thought Chelsea.

Back in Feudal Japan, at the Bone Eater's Well sat Inuyasha staring down inside the mouth of the well, "Well," he mumbled, "I guess she's gone…" her eyes continued to say in his mind. Feeling pain swelling inside his chest, his bangs shadowed his eyes, and he disappeared into the trees.

"Sota, grandpa! I'm home! Mom?" called out Kagome, coming into her house with Chelsea close behind her. Kagome kicked off her shoes and came into the kitchen where she found her mother preparing a meal, "Hi mom, can you set another plate at the table?"

"Welcome home dear," smiled Kagome's mother. Turning to Chelsea she was stunned for a moment, "who's your new friend?"

"This is Chelsea, she's from America… it's a long story. I'll explain later," half smiled Kagome sweating.

"Well alright," grinned her mother returning back to her cooking.

"Come on, let's go upstairs to my room," said Kagome as she raced up the stairs. Slowly Chelsea followed behind her.

"Thank you for dinner," said Chelsea to Kagome's mom. Though it was sincere, Chelsea seemed quite sad.

"Woah," commented Sota, "American girls sure are hot."

"Oh Sota what am I going to do with you?" giggled his mother.

"Wonder how Kagome met up with her…" mumbled grandpa reading a newspaper.

"Guess we'll find out soon enough," answered her mother.

Kagome flopped down on her bed and smiled, "I love coming home."

Chelsea slid down to the floor and stared at the wall quietly.

"What's the matter? You've been acting so sad since the moment we got here," asked Kagome with concern.

"I guess I'm just… lost. What do I do now?" murmured Chelsea, hugging her knees.

"After we eat dinner you can come shopping with me. I could always use an extra set of hands," answered Kagome trying to cheer her up.

"Well, what about after that?" replied Chelsea.

"You can stay the night here. You can even bunk in my bed. I don't mind," said Kagome, sitting down on the floor beside her now.

"Do you think… I should call my parents?" asked Chelsea breathlessly.

"Well, they're probably really worried about you… don't you want to go home?" asked Kagome.

"_That's what I'm trying to figure out…"_ thought Chelsea, _"Inuyasha… have you already forgotten about me? Did I ever even really matter?"_

"Inuyasha," prodded Shippo, poking the half demon in the nose, "What's the matter?"

"Buzz off," growled Inuyasha, "I'm not in the mood."

"It would seem that Inuyasha had grown quite attached to Chelsea and now that he probably will never see her again, he's upset." Miroku observed.

"Shut up Miroku okay? It's not like that!" Inuyasha's temper was skyrocketing.

"Of course I can't say I blame you," shrugged Miroku, "With eyes like that, hair more beautiful than any other's I've seen, and not to mention her curves… yeah, she can leave quite the impression…" and that's the last thing he could spit out before Sango smacked him in the back of the head.

Inuyasha growled and turned his head away. Miroku was such a pervert. She was so much more than that.

"Tell me something Inuyasha, did anything _happen_ in the cave between you two?" wondered Miroku.

"What do you mean?" asked Inuyasha flatly.

"Well you know—" started Miroku before he was slapped again.

"Just ignore him," smiled Sango.

The girls had made it through the market and were now taking turns using the bathtub. Chelsea insisted Kagome go first. She felt like she was invading her space by taking her bed, but no matter how many times she said she could sleep on the floor Kagome simply wouldn't take no for an answer. When it was Chelsea's turn to take a bath she laid in the hot, steaming abyss for thirty minutes just lost in thought. When she came into Kagome's room with a pair of Kagome's PJ shorts and a big t-shirt she limply fell on the bed.

"I'll be right back, I'm gonna go say goodnight to my family," said Kagome. By the time she returned, Chelsea was far away in dreamland. Kagome had never seen her look so relaxed, and yet it looked like—she had been crying, _"it's okay Chelsea, you'll be home soon, you'll see."_

"_I have to see her, if only one last time. I hope I'm not too late,"_ thought Inuyasha sneaking across Kagome's yard. Leaping up on her windowsill, he peaked inside to see Kagome resting on the floor and Chelsea curled up in a fetal position on her bed, _"she looks so peaceful and yet… so sad…"_ Inuyasha quietly opened the window and snuck in. Noticing her shivering, Inuyasha covered Chelsea with the blanket she must have kicked off sometime in the night. He could smell the fragrance of flowers in her hair with soft silk and peaches scent across her pale porcelain skin. Her hair was flung everywhere, like crashing waves of the restless sea. What was he doing here? Why did he need to see her? It's like he couldn't remove her from his mind. He just needed to know she was okay, that was all. Disappearing into the night before he was noticed, Kagome swore she thought she heard Inuyasha come in the room that night… why was her window open?

The next morning, Chelsea stirred to find Kagome removed from her place on the floor. Coming down the stairs, she went into the kitchen and found Kagome with a smile, "Good morning Chelsea," she offered her some eggs for breakfast, "I had an idea last night. Why don't I take you on a tour of Tokyo and have a girls' day out together?"

"Would that be okay? Doesn't Inuyasha want you to go back?" asked Chelsea.

"It's fine. He needs to learn patience anyway," said Kagome, seeming irritated at him, "Oh! By the way, your clothes are in the wash, my mom decided to clean them for you."

"She didn't have to do that," blushed Chelsea.

"Don't worry about it. You can wear one of my outfits for the day," nodded Kagome.

"But Kagome, you're shorter and smaller than me," said Chelsea feeling guilty.

"We'll find something, don't worry." Kagome said with faith. Chelsea was taller than Kagome, about 3 or 4 inches taller. Kagome would never admit it aloud, but she envied the girl's hourglass figure and beautiful eyes. It was no wonder the boys were so attracted to her.

When Kagome went scouting in her wardrobe for something Chelsea could wear, she pulled out a light blue plaid skirt and dark blue shirt. Chelsea stared at the skirt, "I'm not really made for skirts Kagome."

"It's all I have. Come on, it'll look great on you." Kagome had to pester Chelsea quite a few more times before she finally gave in and put the outfit on, though Kagome regretted it now. Her long legs looked longer against the skirt and that shirt made her chest size all the more noticeable, "I'm jealous," whined Kagome admittedly.

"You shouldn't be, you're very cute Kagome…" said Chelsea with a sigh. She hated her figure, "Maybe your cup size isn't as big as mine, but the way I see it, girls like you, they know when I guy really likes them for who they are. Do you think Miroku cares more about my chest or what's under it? So many times guys have just tried to use me because of this body… I hate it. It's more of a curse if you want to know the truth." Chelsea sat down on Kagome's bed, seeming saddened, "Don't ever feel unattractive. I think you're beautiful. I'd kill to have your thickness of hair," she smiled jokingly, though it was very true.

"Thanks Chelsea, that's really sweet of you," replied Kagome, realizing just how uncomfortable Chelsea was in her own skin. Standing up she seemed empowered, "Let's go! We'll get you some outfits you're actually comfortable in." she laughed.

The girls traveled from store to store, stopping to grab a bite to eat at WacDonald's and ice cream for dessert. Kagome felt so comfortable with Chelsea. It was nice to have a friend she could talk about her feudal friends with, and her understand. As they walked home, they both felt the weight of reality on their shoulders. Chelsea needed to call her parents when they got back to the house.

"I had a really good time today Kagome. Tokyo is simply beautiful… I wish I lived here." Chelsea sighed.

Kagome was quiet for a time, "Please keep in touch, when you go back I mean. I'm sure Inuyasha will want to know how you're doing."

"If you ever want to come to the states and bunk with me I can show you around. I live in a small town, but it might be fun," shrugged the American girl, "and you said Inuyasha can pass through the well right? So if you can trust him on a plane, bring him too."

Kagome felt her heart drop at the idea of Inuyasha on a plane. He'd be such a handful, she was better off shoving him into a pet carrier and making him ride with the cargo than listening to his complaining the whole plane ride, "I'll be sure to visit, but I don't know if Inuyasha is mature enough for a plane just yet." She giggled.

When they came into the house Kagome raced upstairs to put together her supplies. She was heading back to the feudal era tonight. Chelsea pressed all of her new clothes into a duffle bag she bought and found herself sighing a lot. She felt so sad. When Kagome came bounding down the steps with her yellow backpack fully loaded the two exchanged a look where they both knew what the other was thinking, "You can stay here until you have arrangements to leave okay? Mom said it was alright," said Kagome quietly.

Chelsea held out her arms and hugged her friend tightly. She would miss Kagome a lot. Being an only child, it felt like she finally had a sister, "When you come back between trips you better call. I'll leave my phone number." She instructed.

"Deal," said Kagome, hugging her back. Both hating goodbyes, Kagome offered her one last smile, and left the house before she started tearing up.

Chelsea stared at the phone. All she needed to do was make one phone call, so why was it so hard?

"Kagome?" called her mom, and Chelsea looked over into the kitchen, "Kagome?"

"Sorry Mrs. Higurashi, you just missed her," replied Chelsea.

"Oh no, she left the ramen you guys bought yesterday. It's Inuyasha's favorite… oh well… maybe she'll come back for it," Mrs. Higurashi went back to her cleaning in the kitchen, readying it for meal preparations.

"Inuyasha…" whispered Chelsea. Seeing him in her mind, watching his hair drift in the wind, taking one last glance at her over his shoulder and then walking away. He disappeared without a trace.

Grabbing the phone immediately Chelsea dialed her home phone number, area code and all. It rang, rang, rang, rang, "Hello, you've reached Deborah and Curtis, please leave a message after the beep, and we'll get right back to you."

The voice mail… "Mom, it's me Chelsea. Look, it's really hard to explain, but I'm okay. Where I am right now, there's some people who need my help and… I need them. I promise I'll be home eventually, but I really need to stay here for now. I love you and dad, and I'll call again the next chance I get. Don't worry about me," _click_, she hung up. Racing into the kitchen Chelsea snagged the bag of ramen, and grabbed her duffle bag in the hallway.

"You going back?" asked Mrs. Higurashi.

"Yes, ma'am. Thanks for letting me stay," said Chelsea racing out of the door, _"Inuyasha, you remember me, don't you?"_ with each step, her thoughts were tripping over each other, _"I could never forget you. Never in a million years,"_ step, step, _"And how could I? You, you amaze me Inuyasha,"_ jump, plunging into the depths of the well, _"Please, don't leave me behind…"_

"Oh no," whined Kagome digging through her bag.

"What's wrong?" asked Inuyasha with a raised eyebrow.

"I-uh… forgot the ramen," said Kagome starting to sweat.

"Are you serious?" boomed Inuyasha.

"I've got it!" cried Chelsea, running up to them.

"Chelsea!" shouted Shippo.

"She's back!" smiled Sango.

"She's in a skirt!" drooled Miroku.

"Chelsea…" mumbled Inuyasha.

Throwing her dufflebag and bag of ramen to the ground as she ran she tackled Inuyasha into an embrace, she started tearing up, "I missed you… Inuyasha," she whispered breathlessly.

Inuyasha's eyes started to shimmer, "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be headed home?" he asked.

"Can't this be my home for a while?" wondered Chelsea, looking up at him, teary-eyed.

A small smile of relief appeared on Inuyasha's face, "Of course, if you want it to be…" he hugged her back, pulling her as close as he possibly could, _"Maybe I wasn't ready to let go of her either… not just yet."_

"_Inuyasha, you're happy too aren't you?" _thought Kagome, _"You and Chelsea, you understand each other. You're both uncomfortable in your own skin, people judge you based on how you look, and you're both so introverted," a weary smile appeared on her face, "I'm glad she decided to stay too…"_

_The review button was pressed on the voice mail, and the sound of Chelsea's faraway voice sounded all so close and clear. Tears filled her mother's eyes, when her father walked in, seeming flabbergasted at the sound, "It's Chelsea…" murmured her mother._

"_But how can that be…?" wondered her dad, totally confused, "ever since the accident, she's been in a coma for nearly two months now…"_

Author's notes: Dun, dun, dun..! And some a piece of her past is revealed. What kind of accident did Chelsea get in? How can she be in a hospital and also be bunking with Inuyasha and his friends? And why did she travel back to feudal Japan of all places? Who knows… but more will be revealed as time goes on. Hope you enjoyed the chapter. See you at the next one. =]


	5. Chapter 5: The Seductive Spell of Aimi

The Bond of Silver and Gold

Chapter 5: The Seductive Spell of Aimi

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of the original characters, plot, or storyline. I only own my fan-made character and her story.

Everyone started to settle back into the groove of things. As the group headed to their next sign of a jewel shard, Kagome felt two others approaching, at an extremely fast pace one might say. That's when a certain familiar wolf demon prince appeared; ready to whisk his love Kagome away, "Yo," Koga greeted with a wave.

Inuyasha's blood pressure started to rise. This guy always made his skin crawl and all he wanted to do was kill the mangy wolf.

"It's Koga," said Kagome simply.

"The wolf you told me about?" asked Chelsea.

When Koga's eyes turned to Chelsea he seemed almost stunned, "Another human girl?" she smelled nice, not as nice as Kagome, but she was quite the doll, "Who's the doll face?" asked Koga with a small smirk. For a mortal she was good looking, he'd give her that.

Inuyasha stepped in front of Chelsea before Koga could get closer to her for a better look, "You starin' at something you mangy wolf?" growled Inuyasha.

"He's protecting Chelsea…" observed Sango.

"This is quite the turn of events…" agreed Miroku.

"Out of the way mutt face, I'm trying to formally introduce myself to…" started Koga.

"Chelsea," Chelsea said, standing on her tip toes to peak over Inuyasha's shoulder. She offered her hand out to Koga so he could shake it.

"That's quite the name you have Doll Face," Chelsea was now assigned Doll Face in Koga's mind, "The name's Koga, I'm the head of the wolf demon pack."

"Oh I know, Kagome told me all about you," smiled Chelsea, coming to the side of Inuyasha now.

"She what…?" grumbled Inuyasha.

Koga took Kagome's hand in his and smiled at her, "You talk about me Kagome?"

"Well yeah you were brought up in a conversation or two," pondered Kagome innocently trying to recall exactly when she and Chelsea spoke of him. Once when she mentioned the jewel shards, and the other time was when she spoke of her first run in with Koga. Yeah, that was it.

"Don't you have some place to be Koga?" growled Inuyasha.

"Is it strange to you that Inuyasha isn't getting angrier?" whispered Sango to Miroku.

"Don't jinx it," muttered Miroku.

"What the hell are you two whispering about back there?" boomed Inuyasha.

"Spoke too soon," said Sango flatly.

"What are you doing here anyway?" asked Kagome out of curiosity.

"I picked up on your scent and thought I'd say hi," answered Koga, taking Kagome's hand once more.

"Liar, he just wanted you to point him to the jewel shard," huffed Inuyasha.

"Speaking of which, shouldn't we get going?" asked Chelsea.

"She's right," spoke Miroku, "I sense an evil presence up ahead. We should hurry and retrieve the shard before nightfall."

"Don't need to tell me. Come on, let's leave that mangy wolf and go," said Inuyasha, bounding off in the direction they were heading before they were interrupted.

Like that would get rid of Koga. Instead he decided to follow the group. Running up beside Inuyasha, Koga grinned, "Hey mutt, let's see whose more superior. First one to the jewel wins!" that said Koga raced off with lightning speed.

"Fine by me!" declared Inuyasha with fury, "Just you wait, when I catch up to you I'll finish you once and for all!" Inuyasha started to pick up the pace, leaving his posse behind.

Kagome felt some sweat slide down her cheek, "Oh boy, they're going to get there long before any of us do…" she was riding on her bike while Miroku and Sango were on the ferocious feline Kirara.

Chelsea was flying solo, literally. She was able to levitate with ease and to be quite truthful she could go much faster than this, "Kagome, I'm going to go ahead to make sure they don't rip each other's heads off. You guys be careful. We're almost there." Chelsea pointed to the castle up ahead. There was definitely an evil presence deep within the walls of that place. Speeding up to meet Inuyasha, she put Inuyasha's arm around her neck and pulled him up off the ground, doing this all in motion.

Inuyasha was shocked, "How did you do that?"

"It's a gift," she replied simply, unsure of how she did it herself, "We're going to catch up to Koga to make sure he doesn't get into any trouble. I've got a bad feeling." They were moving much faster now that Chelsea had taken over. It appeared that Koga was already in the castle though. When they floated into the grounds of the castle, Chelsea paused in mid-air. Something was coming, and fast.

"I'm sorry Inuyasha," she said quickly before casting him aside, as if to throw him to the ground as far away as possible. Luckily, she did just within the right split second, because Koga body slammed into her and sent her to the ground. The wolf did a backflip and landed several feet in front of the girl who now had her imprint in the ground.

"Chelsea," yelled Inuyasha, but Chelsea held up her hand, to say stop.

Staggering to her feet, she looked deep into the eyes of this wolf demon. His stance had totally changed from before, and his lovely blue eyes seemed so twisted now, "He's being controlled," explained Chelsea to Inuyasha, "I'll take care of keeping him busy. Find the demon controlling him and destroy it."

Inuyasha was hesitant to leave Chelsea alone. Koga seemed even faster now if possible. Had his strength and agility increased? Well, if he took out the demon, who would care either way? Like that he was off to find the source of Koga's attacks, _"Just hold on Chelsea, and don't let him get the best of you…"_

Inuyasha started crashing through building after building. Where was it? Where was that damn demon? Jumping onto a rooftop he scanned the surroundings for the main building; "found it," the half demon murmured, ready to take this one down. He had just about enough, and was in the mood for a good ass-kicking.

Once inside the building though, he stopped moving. He saw this beautiful woman, but she wasn't ordinary. This was the demon? She smiled at him as he grabbed for Tetsaiga. Suddenly, he couldn't move. Why was he paralyzed?

"Well aren't you the catch?" she laughed in her throat, "Yes, even as a half-demon, you're quite the specimen. Ruggedly handsome… I like that." She came toward him, running her hand down the small of his back; Inuyasha got chills, but still couldn't grab the hilt of Tetsaiga. Coming to the front of him now, after getting a good look at all he had to offer, she put her index finger under his chin and made him stare deeply into her eyes, "My name is Aimi. Say my name."

Inuyasha's mouth was incapable of forming words, "Go… to… hell," he said through bared fangs.

She let her other hand rest on his chest, "Inuyasha, that's your name is it not?" asked Aimi, sliding her hand into his kimono to feel around on his chest. Inuyasha's pupils were getting smaller, and his face was turning red, "Aww, you're a shy virgin." She giggled with glee, "I like a first timer,"

"_What the hell was she talking about? What does she plan to do with me?"_ thought Inuyasha, being more and more overcome by this demon's touch. It was so soft, almost soothing. Every man, even Inuyasha, desired to be touched by a woman this way.

Aimi turned to her mirror on the wall behind them that seemed to be made of water. The image changed from her and Inuyasha, to Koga and Chelsea fighting one another. More so Koga was trying to strike and Chelsea was just barely dodging, "Chelsea!" yelled Inuyasha, feeling guilty. She couldn't keep this up forever. Why did he leave her?

The mirror image dissolved back to its original state, "I see, you having feelings for that mortal?" asked Aimi.

Inuyasha was surprised by her words, "I don't know what you're talking about," he said, teeth clenched once more. That's when he realized that at the moment of seeing Chelsea's distress, he was able to open his mouth again.

Aimi shrugged, "No matter, you're one of my men now," she leaned into him closely, "Inuyasha," she murmured, "Be mine," he tried so hard to pull away. He was so desperate his body started shaking, but it became limp the moment his lips were pressed against hers. Through an exchange in their mouth, came a smoke like substance that dulls the senses, and allows Aimi to control her victim, body and soul. Smiling wickedly, Aimi turned the image back on her wall back to Chelsea, "Kill her, Inuyasha." Inuyasha looked at the wall, and raced out of the building to find this mortal woman his love Aimi wanted so desperately killed.

Kagome and the others were almost there now. They were horrified to find Koga and Chelsea fighting one another, "Koga! Chelsea!" yelled Kagome, "What is going on? Where's Inuyasha?" she thought.

"Koga," Koga heard the voice of Aimi in his head, "You see the young man atop the two tail? Leave the rest and bring him to me." Once he heard that Koga immediately had a hold of Miroku and disappeared as quickly as he came.

"Miroku!" cried Sango, "Kagome, stay with Chelsea, I have to find Miroku," with that Sango and Kirara were off, giving haste to find the pervy monk.

Chelsea turned to Kagome out of breath, "Kagome, Shippo, you made it," she smiled. Little did she know what was coming up from behind her. That's when she sensed it.

Through a monotone voice, came the cry of, "Iron Reaven Soul Stealer," Inuyasha was about to slice into Chelsea's back when Chelsea grabbed Kagome and set her on top of a rooftop.

"What is Inuyasha doing?" asked Kagome with worry.

"He's been possessed. There's a demon here using mind control," That's when she realized it, "The men, it's possessing men, our men to attack for her and protect her. Knowing we cannot fight them, she automatically wins. Kagome, take Shippo and hurry after Sango. I'll take care of Inuyasha."

"You sure you'll be okay?" asked Kagome.

"I'll be just fine," nodded Chelsea, "now go." Chelsea leapt off the building to find Inuyasha once again. Where did he go? She kept moving as she ran through the palace, hoping eventually she'd run into the others again. That's when she sensed that presence again, "There he is," she slammed on the brakes and Inuyasha went flying past her. Doing a flip to turn his body back to her, Inuyasha strained the muscles in his hand, showing off his claws, "Inuyasha…" she murmured.

Kagome was using Shippo to float over the castle to look for the main house, when suddenly something penetrated the balloon fox demon, crashing to the ground laid Kagome, "Kagome," yelled Shippo, racing over to her, "Are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine, but what was that?" wondered Kagome, seeing some stars from the fall.

"Hmph," growled Koga as he made his presence known. He stood over Kagome with a dark expression on his face, "My beloved Aimi hates women who trespass on her grounds, so I'll take care of you," informed the bewitched wolf.

"Koga," said Kagome almost pleading.

Meanwhile, Sango was now handling a now possessed monk as he took swings at her with his staff, "Miroku snap out of it!" yelled Sango with a hint of anger.

"I must please Lady Aimi," he said with a monotone voice.

"Like hell you will!" declared Sango, getting ready to hoist her boomerang at his head.

"Wind tunnel," mumbled Miroku, taking hold of the boomerang with his Wind Tunnel and sending it far away from her, "Now, succumb to my hand, wench. Wind Tunnel!" he moved the Wind Tunnel to suck in Sango and Kirara. Sango held onto Kirara for dear life.

"Miroku you idiot!" yelled Sango with tears in her eyes. Kirara grabbed onto Sango with her mouth and threw her onto her back. Racing toward the monk, it made Miroku close up his hand. Almost as if he felt so threatened by the frontal attack his instincts were telling him to run. Leaping over Miroku, Sango landed in front of him before he could try to escape, "Miroku you lecher!" she yelled, slapping him as hard as she could across his face.

"S-Sango," he murmured, and started into her eyes.

"Miroku, is that really you?" asked Sango.

"I've never been so happy to be slapped," Miroku said surprised.

"Miroku, thank goodness," Sango said, hiding her teary eyes.

"Thank you Sango," smiled Miroku, pulling her into an embrace, and of course stroking her bottom.

Getting slapped again, Sango decided to leave Miroku behind and take to the skies with Kirara once more.

"Wait Sango, don't leave me!" yelled the monk.

Kagome was running low on luck with Koga, by this time the wolf demon had her by the neck and was holding her off the ground. Tears escaped Kagome's eyes, "Koga," she coughed, "Please, you've gotta remember."

"Let go of Kagome!" yelled Shippo, trying to ram into Koga, but doing more harm to himself in the long run.

"Please Koga," cried Kagome, "Please remember me!" she shouted.

Koga's eyes returned to their original shade of blue and he immediately dropped Kagome, "Kagome…" A thousand knives felt like they were stabbing at Koga's chest. What had he done? "Kagome, are you alright? I'm so sorry." He said grabbing ahold of her in an embrace.

"You're okay. I'm glad it's you again," Kagome said, resting her weary head on his shoulder.

"I'm so sorry… how could I have done something so terrible?" whispered Koga.

"It's not your fault. It wasn't you. Trust me, I'll be fine," replied Kagome weakly.

Chelsea was doing a fine job avoiding Inuyasha's strikes, and lucky for her he hadn't pulled out Tetsaiga yet. She needed to snap him out of it before he decided it was time to use the sword. Chelsea had a barrier she could put up to avoid the half hound's claws, but there was no way her barrier would stand up to the Wind Scar. How could she wake him up? She had to think fast. Wait a minute, avoiding… maybe that was the problem. The next thing she did was gutsy. She knew if this didn't work, she would surely die, and there was a chance that, regardless of the outcome, it might just kill her anyway, "Inuyasha, don't get upset." She whispered, and let her barrier down.

Within a split second, Inuyasha's claw slashed deep into the girl's stomach, ripping away and tearing at her flesh. As soon as her blood spattered his face, his eyes returned to normal, "No," he whispered.

Chelsea laid on the ground staring up at him, "Inuyasha, are you okay?" she asked.

"You idiot! What were you thinking?" screamed Inuyasha, kneeling in front of her to hold her against him.

"Remember, I told you not to get upset," smiled Chelsea wearily. Slowly forcing herself to her feet, she looked down at him, her stomach bleeding immensely, "The only way this demon is going to be brought down is by the hands of another woman." Chelsea's expression became serious, "I'll make her pay for what she did to you. Please, find the other's but stay away from Aimi. If she gets near you she may possess you again," she turned away from him and whispered, "I'd rather die than let that happen."

Inuyasha grabbed onto her and pulled her back against him. Her back to his front, he held her tight, "You fool, don't ever put yourself in danger for my sake," his voice was shaking.

"I always will, you'd do it for me." She murmured, and placed her hand over top of his, "I promise I'll come back, you can count on it," she smiled, racing off before Inuyasha could force her to stay.

"You better!" he yelled, "Or I swear-!" he looked down at the ground feeling completely helpless and guilty. Chelsea left puddles of blood on the ground nearby, and the words of Aimi echoed in his mind, _"I see, you having feelings for that mortal?" _Inuyasha felt a sinking feeling in his stomach. How did he feel? Other than bitterness toward his own claws.

Chelsea caught up to Koga and Kagome, who were exchanging stories with Sango and Miroku. Landing in front of them, they were all stunned by how beat up the girl looked, "Here's the plan. The boys can't help us, so I instructed Inuyasha to stay back. Go meet up with him, he's at the entrance."

"You're not going to go alone are you?" asked Kagome.

"That's not going to happen. Let Kagome and I come with you." Sango said with irritation.

"Look, I've been through hell and back, so just let me do this on my own," before they could argue with her Chelsea flew off.

"_She tries so hard to do It all on her own. She has so much pride. She wants to protect what means most to her,"_ thought Kagome, as her mind flashed to Inuyasha, _"They're so much alike…"_

Going to the main building, Chelsea wasted no time, "Aimi! Come out here! I'm ready to finish you off!"

"I detest women! Get out of my sight," Chelsea's injuries were so great it slowed her down, allowing Aimi to slam her into a wall. That's when Chelsea noticed the mirror behind Aimi. That was it. Push her into it and it's all over, but could she muster up the strength?

"You're through!" yelled the familiar voice of Kagome who had followed Chelsea. Shooting at arrow at the demon, it was now Sango's turn.

"Hiraikotsu!" declared the demon slayer, throwing her boomerang with all of her might at the she-devil. The force, threw her into the mirror. It rippled, turned into water, and puddled on the floor.

"Kagome, Sango…" murmured Chelsea, "thank you," she smiled.

"We're a team," Kagome told Chelsea, as all three girls rode on the back of Kirara, "So no more of this doing it by yourself stuff. We care about you, and we want to help and protect you just as much as you want to protect us."

Chelsea stayed silent, but was thankful for her friends. When the girls finally caught up with the boys, Chelsea was relieved to lay eyes on Inuyasha, _"As long as he's okay, that's what matters to me…"_

Author's notes: Such a long chapter. Hope you enjoyed! Thanks for reading and I'll shell out the next chapter within a couple days. Chelsea and Inuyasha will be waiting for you ;) also cause I'm a music junkie I think I'm going to start putting song quotes that remind me of the chapter at the end of my author's notes.

"_In my mind, everything we did was right. Open your eyes I'll still be by your side. How could I ever have been so blind? You give me something to sleep to at night."_

_~Something to Sleep to, Michelle Branch._


	6. Chapter 6: Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

The Bond of Silver and Gold

Chapter 6:

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of the original characters, plot, or storyline. I only own my fan-made character and her story.

The group all sat around a fire that starry night. All except Chelsea, who was lying inside a hut. Kagome had dressed the girl's deep scratches with bandages, but decided it would be best to let her rest. Inuyasha sat outside of the hut, away from the others, as if to guard her. He wanted to badly to go in and see her, but he couldn't face her. Not after what he had done…

_Within a split second, Inuyasha's claw slashed deep into the girl's stomach, ripping away and tearing at her flesh. As soon as her blood spattered his face, his eyes returned to normal, "No," he whispered._

He just kept reliving the memory over and over again in his mind. Why was he too weak to withstand Aimi's possession? Why did he succumb to her?

"Poor Inuyasha," murmured Kagome, "he feels so guilty for what happened."

"It wasn't his fault. Chelsea let him do it on purpose to release him from her mind control," said Shippo.

"I don't think that matter to him Shippo," sighed Miroku.

"You're right," nodded Sango, "Inuyasha's used to being the protector, but now… I think he almost feels like the victim."

"I wish there was something more we could do for Chelsea. She puts on a tough act, but deep down I think she was in a lot of pain…"

Inuyasha rested his head against the door. Guilt was consuming his every thought. If he could just reverse the rolls, he wouldn't even need to blink before he'd change the outcome. Slowly he rose to his feet and went inside the hut which protected the golden haired girl.

"He went inside," noticed Shippo.

"_Inuyasha… what are you thinking?" _wondered Kagome.

Inuyasha sat down Indian style beside Chelsea while she slept. Her expression was so tranquil. Inuyasha took a deep breath through his nose and released it, resting his head on his knee cap.

"Inuyasha?" murmured Chelsea.

"I'm sorry, did I wake you? I'll go." He mumbled, starting to stand.

"Please don't leave," she said opening her eyes, "I want to talk to you."

"You're hurt. Rest. We can talk later," replied the half demon.

"What I have to say needs to be said right now," Chelsea slowly sat up. This made Inuyasha get closer to her to support her body, "You know why I did what I did today? Because your pain is also my pain Inuyasha," Inuyasha's eyes grew with surprise, "You've been my strength ever since we've met. If I lost you I simply couldn't go on. Do not blame yourself for what happened. I'll wear these gashes and possibly scars forever, proudly. They're a sign that, no matter what, through blood, pain, and whatever else comes with the two, we'll always do whatever we can to help one another. My body is wounded, but my heart beats proudly in my chest, and my soul is its conductor," she offered him a smile, "So no more blaming yourself. You're the reason I keep going Inuyasha."

Inuyasha hid his eyes behind his bangs. What she said… no one had ever said such beautiful words to him. It made him ache all over, "You don't understand. I can still smell your blood under my fingernails. I can't get rid of it. No matter how hard I try to ignore it, you're in this pain because of me."

Chelsea did something next that was very out of character for her. Leaning into Inuyasha, she gently kissed his cheek, "I'd rather you have my blood under your nails than not have you at all."

Inuyasha's cheeks turned rosy. What could he say to that? That's when he sensed something familiar nearby. That smell… it was, Naraku. Inuyasha laid Chelsea back down and leaned over her, "Listen to me: do not leave this hut. I mean it, you hear me?" he growled.

"Inuyasha…?" Chelsea was worried. What was with this all the sudden?

"Just stay in here so I know you'll be safe," without another word, Inuyasha rushed outside to meet the others, "Naraku's nearby, I smell him... this way." Inuyasha bounded off into the nearby forest, with the others following close behind. They came to a clearing where Kagura stood, a wicked smile across her face.

"So you sniffed me out, huh Inuyasha?" asked Kagura.

"Kagura, you've got some nerve," unsheathing his Tetsaiga like it was second nature, he came at her.

Chelsea's skin was crawling the moment Inuyasha left her alone. She sensed this really evil presence. Slowly, she forced herself to her feet, held her stomach to catch her breath, and then walked outside. Staring back at her was a… white baboon? Kagome had mentioned this guy to her. Was this Naraku?

"Chelsea, that's your name correct?" asked Naraku.

"And yours is Naraku," she said casually.

"So you've heard of me," laughed Naraku.

"What choice do I have?" she asked.

"I see you're carrying quite the injury. Tell me, where did you get it from?" noted Naraku, noticing the girl's wound had reopened.

"From your tone of voice I think you already know," said Chelsea, not cringing in the least.

"You've collected a nice sum of jewel shards lately, but why help Inuyasha and his worthless friends, when your skills could be put to good use elsewhere?" The evil half demon removed the head of the baboon pelt and smiled at her, showing his true face.

"From what I've heard you've caused my friends a lot of pain. Don't think just because I'm hurt that I won't kill you," Chelsea was at him before Naraku could blink, her hand was flaming and ready to cut his head off, but she just missed him.

Grabbing her arm he pulled her in close so they were staring into each other's eyes, "You've got guts, or is it stupidity? I've been watching you lately, and I'm very impressed. No ordinary human could be so strong, especially a woman. Though I must admit, I can see why Inuyasha's so attracted to you. You might even be more beautiful than that dead priestess Kikyo."

"You forget," she said doubling up her other hand, "I still have another hand," she thrust her hand into the half demon's stomach, forcing it go straight into him and out the other side. Her captive hand was freed, and thus continued its mission to claim Naraku's head. When the head came off, the body reverted back into its original form: a demon puppet.

"Heed my words, I'll be back. And the next time I am, you'll regret not listening more carefully to my request," those were the last words exchanged between the two.

Kagura was just about to throw another Dance of Blades at the impudent Inuyasha when she felt it, "Hmm, so Naraku's puppet was destroyed…"

"What?" Inuyasha paused.

"Chelsea, oh no!" Kagome gasped, racing back to the hut with Miroku and Sango in tow.

Right on cue Kagura disappeared on her flying feather, _"Damn, it was merely a distraction the whole time," _growled Inuyasha, as he raced back, passing Kagome and the others. When he jumped into the clearing there Chelsea sat on the porch of the hut, examining the beautiful night sky. It was obvious she was bleeding again, but not enough where it would cause her to bleed to death. She tried to sustain her body from as much movement as possible when she fought Naraku.

"Are you alright?" cried Shippo, running up to Chelsea.

"What happened?" asked Kagome with concern.

"That Naraku guy you always talk about showed up," she informed, "Or a fake him. I guess it was a warning. He's pretty pissed I'm helping you guys. Would seem he doesn't like how quickly we're collecting the shards."

"Weren't you scared?" asked Shippo.

"Nah, I kind of knew it wasn't really him, since you guys say you can never seem to catch him what would make me any different?" Chelsea shrugged.

"You reopened your wounds," Kagome whispered, "Let me take you inside and rewrap some fresh bandages on you.

"Oh Kagome, do you need any assistan-?" started Miroku, though decided to cut him off before he could finish by grabbing his ear and giving him her glare of death. Deciding she needed some time alone from Miroku, she followed Kagome to help her.

All three boys sat around the camp fire and stared at the flames, "Inuyasha, you've been especially quiet since we've returned. What's on your mind?" asked Miroku.

Inuyasha stayed silent. He was so wrapped up in his thoughts, "Hey Inuyasha!" yelled Shippo, smacking the half demon on the forehead. Inuyasha grabbed onto Shippo's tail and held the brat to his face.

"Would you cut it out?" he boomed.

"Tell me, would your irritation happen to be directed toward Naraku, or Chelsea?" asked Miroku.

"What are you going on about Miroku?" huffed the half demon.

"It bothers you that Chelsea doesn't let you protect her doesn't it? Tell me, what are your feelings toward her?" wondered Miroku.

"I just don't understand… why she has to do everything by herself… She didn't even listen to me, I told her to stay put, but-" he was cut off by Miroku.

"Instead she leapt head first into danger without any hesitation to the repercussions?" asked Miroku, "Now who does that remind you off?"

"Shut up," growled Inuyasha, "Are you trying to say me and her are the same in that way?"

"You think so too, and that's ultimately what bothers you." Miroku looked up at the sky, "Kagome is so dependent on you, and you've grown to protect her with all of your might, but Chelsea, she's different. She doesn't need you to protect her."

Inuyasha lowered his head, "She doesn't need me… that's the problem…"

"Do you have feelings for her Inuyasha?" wondered Miroku.

"How should I know?" said Inuyasha turning his head away.

"Deep in your heart, I think you do know." Miroku said, returning his gaze to Inuyasha, "She's been a fighter since the moment we met her Inuyasha. Like you, she started fighting to defend herself, but now, she fights for something other than that. She fights for you."

Inuyasha looked back at Miroku,_ "You've been my strength ever since we've met. If I lost you I simply couldn't go on." _He recalled her words, they echoed in his head over and over. Silently, Inuyasha stood up, and disappeared into the nearby tree line. He needed some time alone.

"Hey Chelsea," murmured Kagome as she wrapped the bandage around the injured girl's stomach, "You need to be more careful, especially when Naraku's involved. He's probably planning something, and after what happened, I think his main focus is you right now."

"Inuyasha didn't say anything to me when you guys returned…" replied Chelsea.

"I think it bothers him that you and Naraku met one another alone. Something could have happened to you, and he already feels guilty for this little incident," she was referring to her wounds.

"You need to stop doing things so rashly," said Sango, pouring the girl some water to drink down, "One of these times you'll make a mistake, and instead of trying to save us, you'll put us in danger."

"Inuyasha's not used to having someone who's so much of an equal around him," half-smiled Kagome, "You're very strong, and while that's great, it also makes Inuyasha feel useless around you."

"Why would he feel that way? He's much stronger than I am," said Chelsea, taking a sip of water. She was starting to feel the onset of a fever.

"Not the point. You mean a lot to him. If something happened to you, it would crush him," explained Sango. Kagome listened to Sango's words and felt discouraged. She knew it was true, but she couldn't help but wonder how these two were really starting to feel.

"I'm sorry," Chelsea apologized genuinely, "I've been this way my whole life. Maybe in not so life threatening situations, but I'm an only child and well," she thought of how to explain it, "with my mom always sick, and my dad always working, we've struggled a lot. I've grown independent. I spend time with friends, but I like my alone time. I like spending a lot of time with my mom, because I like to take advantage of the times when she's well… I guess I just, really have grown used to holding my own…" A name came to mind as her voice trailed off, "Isamu…" why did that name come to her mind?

"Isamu?" asked Kagome.

"I don't know… I was having memories, and that name popped into my head…" Chelsea mulled over the name, but it seemed to make no connection, "Perhaps I should go speak with Inuyasha."

"You need to rest," suggested Sango.

"I know, it will only be a minute. Please, let me go speak with him," Chelsea seemed to almost be asking them; though both knew that there would be no stopping her.

Inuyasha had parked himself underneath a tree. Somewhere in all of his thoughts he lost consciousness and had fallen asleep. His hand clutched his sword tightly as he sat there. Inuyasha had grown used to feeling like he needed to always be on pins and needles. Walking up to him, Chelsea frowned at his sleepiness. The poor guy was probably so worn out, "Inuyasha," she whispered, kneeling in front of him.

His eyes shot open and he looked up at her, "What are you doing here?" he grumbled.

Chelsea felt a twinge of pain in her chest. His tone was so rude, "Come on. Stay in the cabin with me for the night. I don't want you sleeping out here on this uncomfortable ground."

"I'll be fine right here. Go get some rest," instructed the half asleep Inuyasha, letting a long yawn escape his mouth.

"Are you mad at me Inuyasha?" asked the girl hopelessly.

Inuyasha thought about it, "Irritated," he confirmed.

"What did I do?" asked Chelsea defensively.

"You've got to be kidding me. You're doing it right now. You don't listen to me!" Inuyasha was starting to really show his temper.

Chelsea hated being yelled at, especially by those she dearly cared for. Inuyasha lashing out at her like this caused her to feel really hurt and angry, "You know what? Fine, be this way. All I ever try to do is care about you, because you never think about yourself." She stood to her feet, and turned away, "You always want to protect everyone but what about you?" she started to walk away.

"I don't need anyone to care about me…" whispered Inuyasha.

Chelsea paused, "Well deal with it, because I do. More than you know," and with that she was gone. She was tired of trying to convince him. She just wanted to take care of him, and make him feel good, while he was trying so hard to care for everyone else. Everyone needs somebody, and he didn't need to carry the load all by himself all the time.

Inuyasha shook his head in irritation, "Dammit," he cursed under his breath. Rolling over, facing away from camp he crossed his arms, and pouted for a while. What did she mean? Why would she want him to be selfish? No, that wasn't it… was he too hard on her just now? He tried not to let it continue to bother him, but the sighing and grumbling wouldn't stop. Why did women have to be such a pain!

Chelsea stomped back into camp and made her way to the empty hut. All of the gang noticed her being so fired up, so Kagome volunteered, "You alright?" she asked.

"Just peachy!" yelled Chelsea, slamming the door behind her. Curling up into a fetal position like she always slept, Chelsea started to cry, "Why's he so mad at me? What can I do to make it better?" she wondered, "Maybe… maybe I should just…"

The next morning, Inuyasha came back to camp, getting barely any sleep. He couldn't get over how Chelsea acted the night before. He hated apologizing, but maybe if he just talked to her, she'd apologize instead. Knocking on the wooden door he called out her name. No answer, "Chelsea, you up?" he opened the door to find an empty hut. All of her belongings gone. His heart dropped into the pit of his stomach and started to be devoured by acid. Coming out of the hut he approached his slumbering posse, "Hey!" he yelled, and they all woke up in fright, "Where's Chelsea?"

"She's gone?" asked Kagome, half awake.

"_She wouldn't run off would she?"_ thought Inuyasha breaking out into a sweat. Why would she do this? Was she really that upset? And with that injury? "Dammit!" he barked, sniffing the air to try to recapture her scent, "I'm going to find her. Don't wait up," Inuyasha wasn't about to wait for the others to wake up and come with him. He needed to find Chelsea. She could be anywhere…

Author's notes: Their first spat. Could it all be a cover cause they're both so confused on how they feel? Also, did Naraku have this little argument planned from the start? What does he have in store for Chelsea now that she's truly by herself? Guess we'll have to see! Sorry for any grammar/spelling mistakes, I'm so tired. See you at the next chapter. =]

"_I bruise you, you bruise me. We both bruise so, easily. Too easily, to let it show. I love you, and that's all I know…"  
>~All I Know, Five for Fighting<em>


	7. Chapter 7: Believe

The Bond of Silver and Gold

Chapter 7: Believe

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of the original characters, plot, or storyline. I only own my fan-made character and her story.

It was starting to pour, and although the trees took the brunt of the rain, Chelsea was still getting quite wet. Her fever was getting worse, and she knew this couldn't be good for her, but she loved the rain. It calmed her, which helped with the soul that was rattling around inside her with frustration, exhaustion, and sadness. She wanted to ignore it but the fact still remained: She missed Inuyasha. Even now, just being so far from him, it caused her to ache.

Something pulled her from her thoughts, as beaming blades seemed to be headed straight for her. It was none other than the butt end of Kagura's dance of blades. Leaping forward and coming to a clearing, she was face to face with this woman for the first time. Smirking Kagura held up her fan, "Deciding to go alone?" she asked, "Naraku's offer still stands you know. Instead of being angry with Inuyasha, why not get even with that half breed?"

"You must be Kagura," in the blink of blind eye, Chelsea was coming nose to nose with Kagura. This caught Kagura off guard as she leapt back to salvage her body. Chelsea managed to slice her sleeve cleanly, "I expected more out of you!" growled Chelsea coming at Kagura again. This time, Kagura used her dance of blades as she jumped straight up into the air. This caused Chelsea to stop. When the dust cleared, a little girl dressed in white with long ivory hair stood before her with a round mirror, _"What…?"_ thought Chelsea. She hadn't heard of this girl before. Chelsea knew it was Kagura from the fan Kagome had told her about previously, but… was this girl a reincarnation of Naraku too!

"Give me your soul," ordered Kanna, with a very monotone voice.

_Fwack! _Lucky for her, Chelsea had fast reflexes. She managed to knock the mirror out of Kanna's grasp. It flipped through the air and landed in the grass, "Take this message back to Naraku for me," said Chelsea, "Tell him he can have my life when he pries it from my cold body," stiffening her fingers outward, Chelsea didn't hesitate to thrust her hand into Kanna's stomach. This caught Kanna entirely off-guard, without her mirror, she was vulnerable. Miasma burned at Chelsea's flesh causing her to pull her hand out. Kanna's mirror levitated and shone down on Kanna, enveloping her in light and with that she was gone. Chelsea stared down at her hand. It was incredibly burned, _"Kagura's still near… I can feel it."_

"Chelsea!" yelled the familiar voice she so desperately wanted to hear. Turning around, Inuyasha landed in front of her. He looked so beat and out of breath. He was completely drenched. The rain made him all the more attractive as it seemed to make his hair sparkle with silver, "What the hell is your problem?" He took note of her hand, "What happened to your hand?" he smelled the miasma.

"I put my hand through a white dwarf," she joked dryly, "I assumed she was one of Naraku's cohorts so I tried to destroy her. Seems she had more fight in her then I had imagined though,"

"What are you doing running off like this? Why did you leave?" asked Inuyasha with desperation seeping into his tone.

Chelsea turned away from him, "I can't do this anymore Inuyasha… I don't belong…" Inuyasha couldn't believe what she was saying, "I don't belong with all of you guys… I'm not meant to be a team player, and you'll all wind up hating me for it if we continue together… so let's just part ways here on positive terms."

"How can you call this positive?" He barked, as she started to walk away from him, "Hey! I'm talking to you!" She stopped, "How can you just walk away like none of this ever mattered!"

Kagome and the other's showed up with the help of Kirara. They watched from behind Inuyasha.

Chelsea felt her fever worsening, "I'm sorry," she whispered softly, unsure whether he heard her. Like that she disappeared into the forest.

"Aren't you going after her?" asked Kagome.

Inuyasha lowered his head and turned away from her direction, "Forget it… if that's what she wants… fine by me…" he murmured, sadness clouding his vision.

The rain continued to drench them all, "Inuyasha…" whispered Kagome.

Chelsea stopped mid-step when she felt something bad. Inuyasha was in trouble, she could feel it, _"Oh no,"_ she thought, _"Kagura."_

The unsuspecting blades were just about to embed themselves into Inuyasha's back when Chelsea leapt into action and stood behind Inuyasha, putting up her barrier to shield them from the incarnation's assault. Kagura appeared before her once more, "You forget about me?" she asked.

"Chelsea?" murmured Inuyasha, stunned. She came back to save him? How did he not sense Kagura? Was he really that lost in the moment?

"Inuyasha," Chelsea's tone was serious, "I want you to use the Wind Scar on Kagura. Can you do that for me?"

Inuyasha's eyes widened, and he nodded, whipping out his sword, he roared, "Wind Scar!" and hurled the whirlwinds at Kagura.

"You fool! I control the wind!" Kagura announced.

Time to try out the new attack Chelsea was concocting all that time she was talking to Naraku that night. Concentrating her energy into her hands, they glowed radiantly. Holding them up together, bawled into fist she shouted, "Tempest Light!" A radiant beam as if cast out of heaven blasted through the Wind Scar.

"Woah," escaped Kagome's lips.

"Amazing," murmured Miroku.

When the light dimmed, Kagura's kimono was tattered and torn. She was already escaping on the back of her flying feather, "No way in hell you're getting away from me!" yelled Chelsea, flying swiftly after her, "Die!" she used her light to slice Kagura in two!

"No way," said Inuyasha amazed.

Miasma exploded from Kagura and sent Chelsea backwards. She fell to ground and was caught in the nick of time by Inuyasha. Kagura appeared in one piece, still broken and bruised in front of Kanna and Naraku. Naraku stared at Kagura, and smiled, "I see, so that's what she's capable off."

"Are you alright?" asked Inuyasha concerned.

Chelsea opened her eyes to find herself staring into those golden irises once more. Kneeling to the ground, he had her body rested against his, "Yes," she whispered, reaching for her hand and holding it tightly, "I am now."

They all traveled back to their camp site to rest for the evening. Sango and Kagome started preparing a meal, while Miroku kept Shippo's attention with light conversation. Everyone figured it was best to let Chelsea and Inuyasha be alone. Chelsea was lying on the floor in Kagome's spare sleeping bag. She looked pretty banged up, "This is only temporary…" whispered Chelsea.

"What do you need me to say?" asked Inuyasha quietly.

"What do you mean?" wondered Chelsea.

"You plan on running off again once you regain your strength right?" asked Inuyasha, "I don't get you. You're a hypocrite!" he barked.

"Why's that?" asked Chelsea, her voice calm. She was tired of trying to raise her voice and let's face it; she just didn't have the energy.

Inuyasha sighed, "We're both hypocrites…" he admitted, "but… Chelsea…" he tried to find the words, "I… I want you to stay." Chelsea was surprised by what she was hearing, but let him continue, "When you said you had no place with us… that really… got to me. You don't have to keep looking for some place you belong. I know exactly where you belong and deep down so do you or you wouldn't have come back… you would have gone home," Inuyasha moved closer and looked down on her, into her eyes so she'd know he was serious, "You belong beside me. I can't do this without you… I need you… I need you to care," he admitted, "I don't want you to give up on me…"

Chelsea forced herself to sit up, and Inuyasha felt worry spread throughout his body. He reached out to help her, and as she was about to refuse his help, she decided to use his steady hand instead, "Inuyasha," she murmured, "Please protect me," she said, her voice so light and frail. Exhaustion was starting to consume her. She needed to rest soon or she'd black out, "Things get… so hard," tears streamed down her face, but she did not know. Her face felt numb, "I try to do it all on my own… I don't want to add baggage to your already heavy load, but… you're my strength," she smiled wearily, "I could never give up on you Inuyasha, because I know in my heart, that you're more amazing then this entire world," she rested her head against him, "You're so cold… so lonely… I know how that feels better than anyone… but someday, someday you'll find someone who deeply cherishes you, and not just for the things you like about yourself, but the things you don't like, they'll love those things most of all."

Inuyasha held her close to him, resting his chin on top of her head, "I promise, I'll protect you no matter what… just don't stop believing in me… call my name, and I'll be right there." Chelsea removed something from her neck, it was a necklace, aged but still golden with a round pendent on it and a tiny cross with a heart engraved on it, dangling separately from it. Clasping it around his neck, she let it dangle freely, "What is it?" he asked.

"It was given to me by someone really important to me, I want you to have it," she whispered.

He examined the tiny charm, "What's this stuff carved into it?"

"Oh yeah, it's written in English, my language from home," explained Chelsea, "It says, 'believe'" she smiled up at him, "It's a reminder to never stop believing in yourself. The cross represents faith in your beliefs, and most importantly yourself. I'll never stop believing in you… but I want you to believe in you… and this way, you'll always have a piece of me with you no matter what… and," she paused, placing her hand on his chest, where the charm now laid, "it's right beside the thing I cherish most about you. That big heart of yours,"

Inuyasha rolled his eyes, "Right," he huffed, "Just the same… I'll take it, thank you." He whispered. He noticed Chelsea was fading into unconsciousness. It was best he let her rest for now, "You rest," he laid her back into the sleeping bag, and started to lean back when her hand touched his once more.

"Please don't leave, for now, just stay beside me until I fall asleep," she begged in a whisper.

"Quit your yapping," he ordered, "I'm not going anywhere, so go to sleep."

"Promise?" she cooed.

"Promise." Inuyasha confirmed, squeezing her hand reassuringly.

Author's notes: It's kind of short compared to the last couple chapters, but I felt bad for leaving you readers hanging for a few days. Sorry! Work took most of my weekend away. That and video games. =[ Sorry! Hope you liked this chapter though! I love these two =]

"_Lights will guide you home, and ignite your bones. And I will try… to fix you."_

_~Fix You, Coldplay_


	8. Chapter 8: A Date of Innocence

The Bond of Silver and Gold

Chapter 8: Inuyasha and Chelsea, their first date**?**

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of the original characters, plot, or storyline. I only own my fan-made character and her story.

A few weeks had passed since Kagome and Chelsea traveled back to the present. Kagome figured as much when her back pack felt as light as a feather. Perhaps it was time to head back, plus, she needed to catch up on school work and tests anyway.

As far as Chelsea goes, she was steadily recovering from Kagura's Miasma, and the long horizontal claw marks on her stomach from Inuyasha when he was possessed. Getting back to civilization, a bed, and a hot bath sounded like a gift from Heaven when Kagome brought up her plans to head back for a couple days.

"So you up for it?" asked Kagome with a smile.

"Definitely, I could use the rest and a nice bath," agreed Chelsea.

"You think you're going anywhere before running it past me?" asked Inuyasha flatly.

"Oh be quiet," huffed Kagome, "I need to go back home and catch up on school, and Chelsea's taken quite the beating lately. Give us two or three days."

"Actually, I'd like a couple days as well if you don't mind," chimed in Sango.

"We could all use a rest," nodded Miroku.

"Oh brother," Inuyasha said rolling his eyes, "Fine, go, but three days max! You got that Kagome?"

"Uh huh," answered Kagome, though she stopped listening a while back.

"See you later Inuyasha," smiled Chelsea weakly. She knew deep down she'd miss him, but it was only a couple days, so she'd manage.

"Uh yeah," Inuyasha hated it too, but wouldn't voice it, "Get some rest while you're over there."

"Bye everyone," waved Chelsea as she followed behind Kagome.

When the girls returned it felt like a weight had been lifted from Chelsea's shoulders. She was so excited to get to spend time in a place with things like electricity, hot showers, and comfortable beds. Kagome on the other hand, while happy to be home, felt like she needed to call attention to something she had been noticing lately. Both girls were now in Kagome's room; Kagome flopped down on her bed, staring at the ceiling, and Chelsea, sitting on the floor.

"Chelsea," Kagome started, "Can I ask you something?"

Chelsea looked up at the bed, "Sure Kagome, what's up?"

Kagome searched in her head for the right words, "You and Inuyasha, you seem to be spending a lot of time together. You guys are getting closer and closer each day," Kagome recalled seeing Chelsea's necklace dangling from Inuyasha's neck. When she mentioned it to him, he acted like it was no big deal.

"Yeah, so?" asked Chelsea, confused.

"So… I don't know. I mean, what do you guys talk about?" wondered Kagome.

Chelsea shrugged, "This and that. We understand each other. I feel like I can talk to him about anything and in return I hope he can do the same with me…"

"That's what I figured," murmured Kagome.

"He's my best friend Kagome, don't get me wrong you are too, it's just… I don't know…"

Kagome was silent.

"If it bothers you, I'll stop hanging around him so much." Chelsea remarked into the open air.

"It doesn't bother me you two enjoy each other's company… I just wish Inuyasha was more open with me, the way he is with you," confessed Kagome.

"He's open with me because he can't be embarrassed around me. He's so afraid of showing weakness in front you that he acts overly proud instead. He wants you to consider him strong," answered Chelsea.

"Wouldn't kill him to show a little weakness once and while," Kagome replied.

Chelsea laid down on Kagome's floor, "Why don't you just talk to him?"

"You don't understand," sighed Kagome, "When I try to get inside his head, he forces me out and we end up fighting… I just don't understand why you're different…" that almost sounded rude, but Chelsea didn't take it that way.

"I'm not trying to step on any toes, but have you ever even really tried?" asked Chelsea, "I mean, have you pulled him aside, just the two of you and tried to have a deep conversation with him? I hate to say it, but in order for there to be a meaningful conversation, it takes two to talk. Perhaps it's you that isn't cutting him some slack."

Kagome let her words roll around in her head, "You're right, maybe I am too hard on him," she sat up and stretched, "I'm sorry."

"Don't mention it," replied Chelsea, "Anytime you need to talk I'm here." Kagome got up to go get a bath before school, just before she walked out of her room Chelsea caught her attention once more, "And Kagome, don't try so hard to get inside that head of his. If you push someone enough it ultimately pushes them away… let him come to you once and a while." Kagome pondered this further as she took her bath.

Hours passed, Kagome had left, and Chelsea was sacked out on her bed after getting a bath herself. It was going on noon, and she was really more exhausted than even she realized. When she opened her eyes, a twitch came from a white dog ear as two eyes stared back at her blinking. Nearly jumping out of her skin, Chelsea was completely shocked Inuyasha was right in front of her, "Am I dreaming?" she wondered aloud.

"What are you dreaming about me for?" asked Inuyasha dryly, sitting beside her on the bed cross-legged with his hands together.

"I'm not dreaming about you," replied Chelsea.

"You said my name in your sleep," explained the half-demon with a curious brow.

"How long have you been sitting there?" growled Chelsea.

"Long enough," teased Inuyasha looking away.

"What did you hear?" asked Chelsea frantically.

Inuyasha rolled his eyes, "Calm down stupid. I snuck into Kagome's window, and when I came in, you said my name. I wasn't sure whether you were awake or sleeping, but then you rolled over so I just sat here and waited, then you woke up."

"Oh," said Chelsea relieved. She stretched and smiled at him, "Well you missed Kagome, she left hours ago."

"What makes you think I came here just to see her?" asked Inuyasha bluntly.

"Well, didn't you?" asked Chelsea.

Inuyasha looked away, seeming almost embarrassed, "You feeling any better?"

"_He was worried about me… that's why he came back…"_ Chelsea looked him over, "Yeah… hey, Inuyasha?"

"What?" he replied.

"Kagome… she told me she wishes you'd talk to her more… about the things that bother you…" said Chelsea, starting to understand why Kagome acted the way she did earlier that morning.

"When did she say that?" Inuyasha was confused. Why did Kagome keep coming up?

"This morning… she's jealous that you and I have been so close lately… perhaps it's best you leave until she comes home. She'd be really happy if you came to see her I bet," nodded Chelsea.

Inuyasha's ears lowered, "You want me to leave?"

"Of course not," Chelsea answered, getting nervous, "but…" Inuyasha's eyes wandered to the window. Chelsea could see his feelings were hurt, "Hey, I didn't mean it like that."

"Sure," Inuyasha said, in one fluent motion he got up from the bed, and started for the window.

Chelsea grabbed the sleeve of his robe and pulled him back, "Inuyasha, come on, don't go."

"Will you make up your mind? What do you want?" asked Inuyasha impatiently.

"You," Chelsea couldn't believe that was the reflex of her response, so she tried to cover it up quickly, "You to stay, I mean," her cheeks turned red.

Inuyasha moved closer to her, and she felt uneasy. Gently pressing the back of his hand to her forehead he looked saddened, "You still have your fever don't you."

"_Yeah, like that's it,"_ Chelsea thought, relieved he was going back to concerned instead of angry, "I got an idea: why don't you go take a bath and you and I will go out and explore together."

"Huh?" Inuyasha cocked his head slightly. Boy, when she wanted to she went from one extreme to the next.

"I'm new here too you know? I mean I come from a completely different country. Kagome showed me around a bit, so why don't we go out together?"

"And why the bath?" asked Inuyasha. Did she think he stunk or something?

"To relax you, you're so tense." Chelsea smiled. Heading to the door, she went off to run him some water. Once she finally forced him in there, she managed to get a hold of his robes, and while he was bathing she washed and dried his clothes for him.

Inuyasha caught the clean scent instantly, "Did you wash this?"

"Is that okay?" asked Chelsea, "I hand washed it so it wouldn't get torn up by any chance in the wash."

Inuyasha appreciated the gesture, but he almost felt like he was being too taken care of, while Chelsea sat behind him and blow dried his hair. He knew this scent too… white peaches and silk… did he use Chelsea's soap by accident… no he didn't, he liked that smell. Just like she said, Inuyasha was a lot more relaxed than usual. Turning off the blow dryer, Chelsea ran her fingers gently through his hair one last time to check for knots.

"You're good at this," he mumbled, welcoming her touch.

"I'm surprised you used my body wash," she thought it was cute he didn't know it was really meant for girls.

"I liked it better than the other one…" Inuyasha's eyes opened in that instant, "That's Kagome's isn't it?"

Chelsea felt a sinking feeling in her stomach, "Uh, yeah. She decided to go with it last time we were at the store, because she liked it."

"I didn't really care for it, but I loved yours." Inuyasha replied, straightening his back, and popping his shoulder.

"You like my smell?" asked Chelsea, getting more and more surprised by his words, _"Did he say love?"_

"Yeah, it relaxes me," Inuyasha looked over his shoulder at her, "I guess, you just have that effect on me," he said, continuing to try to get the knot out of his shoulder.

Chelsea leaned closer and put her hand on his shoulder, trying to massage out the tense muscle that seemed swelled on his shoulder blade, "My God, how do you move?" she couldn't believe how tense he was.

"What are you talking about?" he asked, staring to feel overcome by just how good her massaging felt.

She touched his other shoulder, and it was the same way, "Remind me next time you visit that I need to give you a back massage. This is terrible Inuyasha."

"You really think so?" he asked absent from the conversation.

She smiled to herself. He was such a boy. Slowly standing to her feet, she faced him and smiled, "Come on, let's go."

Inuyasha was almost disappointed. That massage thing was feeling fantastic, "Go where?"

"Wherever," teased Chelsea, taking his hand.

So there they were, walking through a teenager's paradise: the mall. Inuyasha was surprised at Chelsea for bringing him to a place with so many people. People were shooting them stares, didn't she care?

"Today you're gonna try something," smiled Chelsea.

"Yeah, what's that?" he asked, almost afraid to hear the answer.

"A cheeseburger," replied Chelsea with a grin, "It's a really popular food from where I'm from."

Inuyasha did smell food, but it wasn't just one kind of food, but a bunch.

"We're coming up on the food court, so be patient and I'll order for you," said Chelsea.

When they sat at the table Inuyasha stared down at the round wrapped sandwich, "What is it?" he asked.

"It's good," smiled Chelsea, taking a bite of her burger, "I promise it won't kill you, and if you don't like it, then that's two massages I owe you," she teased.

He raised his eyebrow and unwrapped the cheeseburger delicately, like he was dismantling a bomb. Slowly taking his first bite, he chewed, and swallowed. He paused, "Not bad… that's actually pretty good."

"Right? I thought you might like it," Chelsea put her burger down to get a drink of her soda, but when she opened her eyes, Inuyasha's burger was gone.

"Sure didn't last though," Inuyasha grumbled.

"That's why I bought you too," she said pointing to the bag.

Once the two were done with their WacDonald's, Chelsea started to show Inuyasha around the mall. Explaining what elevators and escalators purposes were. Basically, she said society has gotten lazier as a whole, and continues to find new ways to keep themselves from having to get the blood in their bodies flowing.

They were in an old music store that had video games, movies, music, and the like all used for knock off prices. Inuyasha wasn't impressed, but Chelsea seemed to enjoy it so he bit his tongue and bared it. He finally had to ask, "What are they?"

Chelsea was holding a DVD to one of her favorite animes, "Oh this?" she said, "It's a DVD… you know when someone tells you a story and you picture it in your mind? Well this does it for you. It's our way of escaping this world… not very many get the experience Kagome and I do."

"Huh, that's weird…" said Inuyasha, itching the tip of his nose.

"It's pretty amazing," nodded Chelsea, "They're shown on TVs like that one," she said pointing up at the television that was featuring some old 80's rock music video.

"Kagome has a box like that at home," Inuyasha remembered seeing himself on it once when he saved a girl from a burning building.

"_Kagome…"_ thought Chelsea, _"she'd be upset if she knew Inuyasha and I have spent the whole day together…" _Chelsea sighed, feeling guiltier by the minute, but… she loved spending time with him… did she really have to stop just so Kagome wouldn't be hurt?

"You okay? You look sad all of a sudden," he asked with concern.

"Oh yeah, I'm fine," she faked a smile, and motioned for him to follow, "there's just one more thing we have to do before we head home."

Next thing Inuyasha knew he was sitting on a park bench staring at a pond. Chelsea walked up with two ice cream cones, and handed one to him, "What is it?"

"It's sweet, eat it… but don't woof it down like that cheeseburger or you'll get a brain freeze," Chelsea explained.

"Brain… freeze?" he asked. It sounded really painful for just a small bit of food.

"Don't worry; it's just a temporary really bad headache. It's cold is what I'm trying to say. Licking it is your best bet," Chelsea started licking at her ice cream as if to set an example.

Inuyasha tried his and was impressed, "You and I seem to have similar tastes,"

"I hear you can't stand spicy food," smiled Chelsea.

"I hate spicy, it's too much for me," replied Inuyasha.

"Same here, it makes me feel really sick," nodded Chelsea.

As they walked home side by side Chelsea had to ask, "Did you like the park? It seemed more in your element. I'm sorry I dragged you to the mall."

"I'm surprised to be honest," he mumbled.

"Why?" asked Chelsea, confused.

"You weren't embarrassed at all… and people kept staring…" Inuyasha felt almost, guilty. He knew it was him they were looking at. He did notice a few guys looking her way though too. Letting a sigh escape his lips he looked away from her, "Kagome makes me stay at her house… she'd probably be mad if she knew I was out with you today." 

"_My thoughts exactly though the reasoning is completely different,"_ thought Chelsea. Looking up at the cap Inuyasha wore on his head; she grabbed it and flipped it on top of her head with a teasing smile.

"Hey, that's not a good idea," Inuyasha said with a frown.

"I know they were staring Inuyasha, but I don't care. I like spending time with you, and who cares what they think, or anyone else for that matter. Besides, I was missing those ears of yours, and I felt guilty for making you wear the cap," she said tipping the bill of the cap so she could look up at him.

"_She doesn't care…"_ Inuyasha couldn't believe it as his ears perked up with astonishment.

"You're best when you're yourself Inuyasha, and I shouldn't make you alter your appearance just because we're in the present. Let 'em stare, you're better than all of that anyway," Chelsea said linking her arms behind her back.

Inuyasha lowered his head and steadily, a tiny smile came upon his face. He wanted so badly to reach out to her, "Thank you," was all the half demon could muster. He might have been just some half breed to everyone else, but to Chelsea, he was a full blooded hero. That's why… that's why he could talk to her about anything. It seemed like whatever he did, he was confident Chelsea wouldn't look at him any other way, because she knew the goodness in his heart.

Author's notes: Aww, yeah I liked writing this. It was so cute, and so simple at the same time. I needed a break from the drama, and this was their chance to exhale from all the calamity that seems to follow them wherever they go… but what would Kagome think… if she knew they spent the entire day together… out and about no less. Anyway, thanks for reading, and a special thanks to those of you who review and keep up with this. I really appreciate it you guys. I'll be seeing ya at the next chapter. =]

"_You know, I'd never ask you to change. If perfects what you're searching for then just stay the same ... 'Cause you're amazing, just the way you are."_

_~Just the Way You Are, Bruno Mars_


	9. Chapter 9: The Eyes of Truth

The Bond of Silver and Gold

Chapter 9: The Eyes of Truth

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of the original characters, plot, or storyline. I only own my fan-made character and her story.

After a few days off, Inuyasha told the girls it was time to go back. Although Kagome knew of two's not-so-secret rendezvous, she didn't mind it. She knew she couldn't control Inuyasha, and he seemed to really enjoy Chelsea's company. She couldn't believe they went to the mall without any major problems. It was like Inuyasha tried to be on his very best behavior around Chelsea, or maybe it was he didn't have to try at all.

"Here you go Shippo," smiled Chelsea, handing a big bag of assorted candy she picked out just for him, "there's a candy shop in the mall and when I saw all of the candy I just had to buy some for you. There's rock candy and jaw brakers; be sure to not bite down on them right away. I also bought you gummy worms and gummy bears; don't worry, they're not really made from worms or bears. And lastly, there's some chocolate and bubble gum in there."

"Wow," the fox child's eyes glimmered with delight, "thank you so much." Shippo was overjoyed by the present.

"For Sango I got this really pretty comb," smiled Chelsea, handing Sango the comb with intricate designs and a floral pattern with golden paint.

"That's very kind of you," said Sango, very happy that she was thought of.

"And for Miroku," she held out a small satin bag that fit in the palm of her hand, "It's supposedly some sort of magic spell powder with mysterious power. I don't know if it works, but I figured since you have actual sacred powers, maybe you can make it do something."

"How thoughtful of you," Miroku grinned, "I shall cherish this."

"She got everyone a gift huh?" murmured Kagome, fiddling with the bracelet Chelsea got her on her wrist.

"Yeah, she's really giving…" replied Inuyasha, watching all of his friends feel special, "It started with your bracelet. She saw it and instantly thought of you. She said because the beads resemble miniature Shikon jewels."

Kagome felt guilty for being slightly upset when she heard the news that the two spent the day together. Chelsea was such a thoughtful friend, and she always put everyone before her. That's when Kagome realized everyone else was distracted. Maybe now she could speak to Inuyasha, "Umm, Inuyasha?"

Inuyasha looked over at her, "What is it?"

"Can we talk?" asked Kagome.

"About what?" wondered Inuyasha curiously.

Kagome played with the beaded bracelet, "Well, you and Chelsea have been spending a lot of time together lately…"

"So?" retorted Inuyasha. Kagome could tell his temper was already flaring.

She sighed in defeat, "Nevermind."

As the group passed through a village they stopped in a rest stop for some tea and exchanged chatter. All was well until a group of three burly men showed up. They were instantly making eyes at Chelsea, and no matter how much she tried to ignore it, she couldn't help but feel uncomfortable.

"What's your name?" asked the leader of this rowdy gang of men. His breath was as atrocious as his face.

Chelsea shot him a glare, but said nothing and continued to listen to her friends' conversation.

"Hey, I'm talking to you," growled the man, taking Chelsea's wrist.

In one fluent motion Chelsea had the guy's arm twisted behind his back, "One more word," she said, "one more word and I'll break your arm."

The owner of the tea shop started to get irritated. This was bad for business.

Chelsea felt the tension rising in the air and let the buffoon go. With that she was out the door and making her way down the path. She just needed some fresh oxygen… those guys stunk up the place.

"Wow," Shippo was shocked Chelsea lost her temper so quickly, "I know Chelsea has a bad temper, but she almost broke that guy's arm…"

"I notice she has a low tolerance for men coming onto her," Sango explained.

"Why you say that?" asked Kagome.

"Remember when we first met her? She said bandits almost took advantage of her, and when Miroku hits on her she smarts off to him…" Sango said.

"Oh yeah, now that you mention it…" Kagome nodded.

"She has distrust against men because of her violent past with them…" Miroku started to understand. It wasn't him she disliked, but the men before him that ruined any chance he had with her.

"She trusts Inuyasha though," pointed out Shippo, gnawing on rock candy.

"Yes," Kagome admitted regrettably, "but Inuyasha would never take advantage of a girl."

"What are you insinuating Kagome?" asked Miroku offended.

Quietly, Inuyasha stood up as he watched the three men walk out in the same direction as Chelsea. They were going to follow her. No doubt about it.

"Inuyasha?" asked Kagome.

Inuyasha walked out without a word. As the men were following behind Chelsea, Inuyasha jumped and landed square in front of all three of them. Letting an evil stare play across his gaze, he cracked every bone in his hand, "Who's first?" he asked, "You go after that girl, and I'll rip your throat out."

Chelsea turned back, _"Inuyasha…"_ she thought, _"He's protecting me…"_

"Hey boss, I think he means it," said the guy's right hand man.

The leader decided that Inuyasha meant business, "Well, she's not good enough for me anyway if she'd settle for some half-breed like you. Come on boys, let's go." The bandit shrugged off Inuyasha's threat and started off in the opposite direction. That's when he was stuck frozen.

Chelsea was so angered by the man's comment that it seemed a new power awoke inside her. It was if she was telling the man to choke on his words, and he was doing just that. It was like someone was strangling him, but no one was there. Coming up beside Inuyasha, Chelsea's eyes were glowing green, "You're not even worth killing. You worthless man," Chelsea let him go and he collapsed to the ground.

Inuyasha was baffled. How did she do that?

The men helped their leader up and started to run, "He's more of a man than you'll ever be, you got that!" barked Chelsea in disgust.

The other's watched the scene play out on the sidelines. One thing seemed to be happening: Chelsea was getting stronger.

"How did you do that?" asked Inuyasha.

"Huh?" Chelsea's eyes stopped glowing at the instant of Inuyasha's calming voice, "I don't really know," she said looking down at her hands, "I was just so… angry… at what he said to you… I guess I just lost my temper."

Inuyasha tilted his head, "Don't worry about it. I let the half-breed comments just roll off. I'm used to it."

"_Yeah right,"_ thought Kagome.

"It doesn't make it any more right," said Chelsea. She came closer to him and looked him deep in the eyes, "Anyway, thank you, for standing up for me," with that she started walking again. She needed some time to think. 

Inuyasha watched her walk away and felt his heart sink down into his stomach, "You guys stay here," he called out to the others, "I'll be right back." He found Chelsea sitting on a tree branch not too far from where the confrontation took place. He leapt up and sat in front of her, staring into those sad emerald eyes of hers.

It was like these two could exchange a whole conversation through just one moment of staring at each other, "What?" she finally asked.

Inuyasha fit the words together in his head like a puzzle, "Look," he began, "I don't know what those men did to you when you first arrived here… but… you don't have to be scared anymore."

Chelsea looked away, breaking their staring contest.

"I know you were scared. You don't have to hide it," Inuyasha said.

Looking back at him, she smiled, feeling her eyes start to water, "I wasn't scared… I was terrified."

"I know…" he whispered, "I knew the moment he said something… that look in your eyes… it wasn't anger. You were just flat out frightened… afraid he'd do to what the others before did, or perhaps worse," he said, getting closer to her, "I promise you, I'll never let that happen. Ever."

Chelsea looked down and smiled to herself. Slowly she locked her arms around him, "Thank you…" she choked, through tears.

He placed a gentle hand on her back and pulled her in closer, "It's okay…" he assured gently.

Later that day Chelsea requested she just have some time to herself. It was late in the afternoon, and the gang decided that where they ended up was a good place to set up camp. It was well secluded by a ring of trees… which was necessary for tonight… the night of the new moon.

The memory just kept replaying over and over in her mind. The way those men had held her down. How they tried so hard to force themselves on her. How close they came to making her feel like a useless life. And how lucky she was they didn't succeed. Hours passed while she sat there alone in the forest. She had wandered a great distance from the camp and decided it was time to head back before the sun disappeared over the horizon. As she leapt down from hiding place in the trees, she turned around to find Inuyasha walked up to her, "Hey," he greeted, "I got worried so I came to check up on you."

"I'm fine," said Chelsea, looking him over. He came closer to her.

"There's something I need to talk to you about," Inuyasha approached her slowly, looking deeply into her eyes. It was like he was digging as deeply as he could into her soul, "Chelsea, I've grown to really care about you," he seemed to be getting antsy as he slowly pushed her back up against a tree.

"I-Inuyasha? What are you doing?" she asked, feeling uncomfortable.

"I need you Chelsea," he said, leaning in toward her face, "I need to know… how you feel about me,"

"_Where was this coming from?"_ thought Chelsea. Those eyes. There was something wrong with his eyes. Inuyasha's eyes… they didn't have that air about them… that evil churning in them. As Inuyasha leaned in to connect their lips, Chelsea had a glowing fist to his temple, "Who are you?" she growled.

A wicked smile appeared on the imposter's face, as a laugh erupted from his throat, "How charming, you love him so much you know when it's not really him," the imposter slammed Chelsea's head hard into the tree, "but there is no room left in his heart for you."

Chelsea knew this soft, but cruel growl of a voice, "N-Naraku," she choked as he held her throat in his grip.

Naraku returned to his true from. It was the real deal! This wasn't just a puppet! "He won't save you this time, and I'll make sure you remember my face, as I take the one thing from you that you protect the most: That purity of yours."

Chelsea's body twisted in agony, trying to get away from Naraku. Just when he thought his plan couldn't be turned against him, an arrow shot through the darkness and broke the barrier around the evil being, "Damn that wench," growled Naraku, obviously injured from the sacred arrow. Without a moment's hesitation, Naraku disappeared before he could be fired at a second time.

Chelsea fell to the ground and caught her breath. She was trembling so bad it was hard for her to stand, but once she could, she ran like the devil was at her heals until she stumbled back into camp with eyes filled with tears. She grabbed onto the closest person to her, which happened to be Kagome, and started bawling, "Kagome!" she cried, "Thank you so much for saving me."

"Saving you? What happened?" asked Kagome, shocked by the girl's hysteria.

"What do you mean? Naraku attacked me… and then… you fired that arrow, right?" asked Chelsea.

"Kikyo?" broke in Inuyasha, coming out of hiding.

That it's when it happened. Time seemed to slow down in that instant, as Chelsea laid eyes on Inuyasha's human form for the first time ever. That's when things started getting dark, and all started to become clear in her mind.

_The sound of the breaks screaming for mercy. The whiplash of her body. The sound of alarms screeching and crying._

Chelsea's mouth started to move, but no words were being spoken.

"Chelsea?" asked Shippo worried.

"Chelsea, what's wrong? It's just Inuyasha." Kagome wasn't sure what was happening. Was she in shock? What did that foul Naraku do to her?

Chelsea started trembling as her wide eyes looked down and back and forth rapidly like she was reading something faster than humanly possible, _"Those eyes… those brown eyes…"_ without a word, Chelsea turned tail and ran back into the forest from which she appeared.

Inuyasha took off immediately after her, "Inuyasha!" yelled Kagome.

"I have to see what's wrong! I've never seen her act this way before!" called out Inuyasha.

"But what if someone sees you!" cried Kagome.

"I don't care!" retorted Inuyasha.

Kagome's heart skipped a beat, _"You… you really love her don't you Inuyasha?"_ she thought. Lowering her face to hide her pain, her friends gathered around her to figure out exactly what was wrong.

Chelsea ran so far she reached a cliff and stopped just in time before she tripped off of it. She was trying to catch her breath, but her heart couldn't keep up. Her lungs were on fire. She was startled by the sound of rustling footsteps. Turning to face the tree line, Inuyasha appeared in front of her. His face was wrinkled with confusion and worry, "Chelsea?" he murmured.

"Don't!" She cried, "Don't say anything…" she said, turning away from him.

"Chelsea what happened? Why are you so afraid of me?" he asked.

She couldn't answer.

"Is it because I'm human? It's only temporary… am I really that hideous?" he said looking down shamefully.

"No," she said, shaking her head and looking to the ground, "No," she repeated.

"What did Naraku do to you?" asked Inuyasha. Was that why she freaked out? He couldn't fit the pieces together at all. When she didn't respond he came closer to her and she freaked again.

"Stop, just stop…" she mumbled.

"Chelsea," Inuyasha felt his heart going through a meat grater.

Chelsea looked up and stared deeply into his eyes. He was begging her to communicate with him, "He was you," she finally said, "He was you, and he tried to take advantage of me, he tried to…" she trailed off.

Inuyasha tilted his head, "But that's not it, is it?" he knew better than that.

Chelsea walked passed Inuyasha and back into the woods. He followed her, unable to figure out where the hell he went wrong? Why did she hate him all of the sudden? "I'm human because… this happens to me once and a while… on the night of new moon, I change. If you hate me as a human so much… then I'll leave you alone…" he finally sighed.

"Inuyasha," murmured Chelsea, turning to him, she walked up to him, and held his face in her hands. A feeling came over her. Looking into those eyes, she felt herself lean in, wanting to feed her desires. Inuyasha couldn't believe this feeling. His heart was about to pound right out of his chest and lay pulsing on the ground. In the last second, when both were about to consent to the soft touch, Chelsea pulled away. What was she doing? She was so mixed up right now. She knew she was only hurting Inuyasha, and this in turn made her more upset with herself. As she tried to walk away from him again, he stepped forward and grabbed her arm. In one swift motion both were scooped up in… a hunter's net?

When Inuyasha opened his eyes, he was face to chest… with Chelsea. His whole face clouded with crimson as he tried to escape the uncomfortable situation. Chelsea adjusted so she was sitting on his lap, looking into his eyes. It was still a very uncomfortable position. They both looked into each other's eyes. Finally, Inuyasha examined the material that was strung into a net in order to keep them bound, "Dammit, if I had my claws…"

Chelsea looked it over too, but said nothing.

"_Even now, she says nothing…"_ he thought to himself, "Can you break it?"

"No," said Chelsea. Her powers felt so far from her right now. It seemed they reacted to her emotions and right now, she couldn't even muster up the strength for a spark.

Inuyasha leaned into her with a serious expression, "Please, just talk to me. What the hell is going on? Why can't you look me in the eyes!" he was starting to get really ticked off.

Chelsea said nothing. She couldn't. It was just too much for her. Slowly, the girl laid down on top of the half demon boy she grown to cherish so much. She never let herself really admit it up until now, but she wanted this for so long. Closing her eyes, she let the sound of his heartbeat take her away from this pain momentarily, "Inuyasha," she finally spoke, "hold me for a little while." That was her one and only request.

So he did. He held her for a long while. He caught himself smelling her hair, he squeezed her gently from time to time. He wanted to badly to know what was hurting her, because deep down, it was killing him. He couldn't do anything to ease her pain… he couldn't do anything to get them out of this damn net.

"There they are," both heard Miroku call out.

"Chelsea! Inuyasha!" cried Shippo.

"Hold on, we'll get you down," assured Sango.

Kagome said nothing. She was first to see Inuyasha holding her the way he did, and she knew for sure just how he felt. She needed to speak with Chelsea.

As the group all returned to camp, there were no words exchanged. The tension could be cut with the Tetsaiga. All wanted to say something, but none of them could. Everyone seemed to separate once they got back to camp. That's when Chelsea made her move. Coming up to Kagome, who was still sitting by the fire. The rest had retired to bed, or went off on their own, aka Inuyasha.

"Kagome," said Chelsea, "we need to talk."

"Me first," Kagome couldn't believe Chelsea was coming to her first.

"No, I have to talk to you. Please," tears escaped Chelsea's eyes, "I can't hold this back any longer. I need to tell you, but you can't tell anyone… please."

Kagome had a feeling they weren't thinking along the same lines, "What is it?" she felt concern cloud her brain.

"Kagome… I remember now… I remember… what happened before I got here," said Chelsea, "It was a cold rainy night… I was driving home, but I wasn't alone…"

_The windshield wipers furiously fought off the rain as it pounded on the windshield._

"There was a boy in the passenger seat, his name was Isamu," said Chelsea.

"Where have I heard that name before?" thought Kagome, _A name came to mind as her voice trailed off, "Isamu…" why did that name come to her mind? "Chelsea has said that name once before…"_

"We were coming home from a date," explained Chelsea, "it was the first night he ever told me he loved me… but I never got to say it back… because I hydroplaned into a fourway intersection…" smiled Chelsea wearily, hating herself more with every word.

_Isamu turned down the radio and listened to the rain, "You're a horrible driver," he said, teasing Chelsea._

"_Give me a break," she huffed._

_He loved it when she got that way, "I love you," he said._

"Next thing I knew, I had no control, and… he took the steering wheel from my hands…"

_Chelsea awoke to find herself staring at flashing lights, and her boyfriend's closed eyes in front of her._

"_The boy died instantly," announced a paramedic with grief._

"_The girl is still alive," cried a voice._

"He took the wheel, in order to make the oncoming car smash into his side of the car and take the initial blow from me… he died that day," said Chelsea, looking up at Kagome with tear-swollen eyes, "Kagome… I know you won't believe me… but I think… Isamu was Inuyasha's reincarnation."

Kagome's eyes bulged. Was that even possible? She figured anything was if she was back in feudal Japan but, Inuyasha? A reincarnation of Inuyasha?

"I don't know how I'm here, but I think… my soul missed him so badly… that it desired to be with him once more…" she looked down shamefaced, "Kagome, I love Inuyasha… not because of Isamu… but because… I just love him… but I can't… be with him."

Kagome felt her heart hurt inside her rib cage, "But Chelsea, he loves you too, I know he does."

"I can't be the reason he dies… not after what I did to Isamu," Chelsea was now crying.

"Tell Inuyasha exactly what you told me. He's going crazy not knowing how to make this better," Kagome knew Inuyasha well enough to know this was still haunting him, "You didn't kill Isamu… he did what he thought he could in a moment's notice to keep you alive… even without him… he wanted you to live… he wanted you to be happy. Fate led you here on purpose."

"Why are you saying this Kagome? I know you love Inuyasha," whispered Chelsea.

"I do, but I know you mean most to him now," Kagome looked up at the starry sky, "Chelsea, Inuyasha has suffered through heartache all his life… losing his mother, and then the love of his life… Kikyo… Kikyo meant so much to Inuyasha… and when he lost her… he couldn't stop thinking about her… even when the two of us got close… but tonight, I realized… that you changed that. He doesn't hurt from Kikyo anymore… he could have gone searching for her like he always does… but he chased after you instead. He couldn't stand the thought of you in pain. That's when I knew, he loves you."

Chelsea took a deep breath, "I… I can't give Inuyasha what he wants… so I have to give him the second best thing," Chelsea lifted herself off the ground and started walking to her sleeping bag, "Goodnight Kagome,"

_"What did Chelsea mean by that?"_ She still couldn't believe how meant for each other these two really were. Fate was pulling them closer and closer together. Chelsea's soul couldn't live without Inuyasha. It was that simple.

The next morning, Inuyasha was back to his usual self physically. Emotionally, he was numb. Coming up to Kagome who was preparing breakfast he sighed, "She's gone… isn't she?"

"Yeah…" Kagome murmured, "I don't know where she went… I'm so sorry Inuyasha…" should she tell him? Or was it better that Chelsea explained?

"Did she tell you anything?" asked Inuyasha. Kagome was dying inside. She couldn't stand to see Inuyasha's eyes filled with so much pain.

"She said she was going to make you happy somehow… not the best she could do… but the next best thing…" Kagome was trying like hell to decipher that riddle but she couldn't figure it out.

"Next best thing? What was the first?" questioned Inuyasha intensely.

"I know you love her Inuyasha… the feeling's mutual," Kagome said sadly.

Inuyasha's heart fluttered. He was on his feet, "You sure you don't know where she went?"

Kagome suddenly became dumbstruck, "Oh no…"

"What?" barked Inuyasha.

"Inuyasha… we have to stop her!" commanded Kagome, standing now as well, "She's going to go kill Naraku!"

"What!" cried Inuyasha.

Author's Notes: And the truth is finally revealed. Things are about to get even more heated. Will Inuyasha be able to stop Chelsea in time before she decides to face Naraku alone? We'll see. Thanks for reading =D

For some reason, like right when Chelsea was about to kiss Inuyasha, the song "Someone like You," by Adele started playing and it was like I was watching a scene from a movie in my head. That song reminds me so much of this chapter. Go listen to it on youtube if you like piano and slow songs!

"_Don't forget me, I beg, I remembered you said: Sometimes it lasts in love, but sometimes it hurts instead…"_

_~Someone like You, Adele_


	10. Chapter 10: Sacrifice

The Bond of Silver and Gold

Chapter 10: Sacrifice

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of the original characters, plot, or storyline. I only own my fan-made character and her story.

"_Please welcome our newest addition to our class. His name is Isamu Tsuneo, an exchange student from Japan," explained the teacher of Chelsea's history class._

_His eyes were so serious. He looked so afraid. I felt bad for him. Everyone assumed he didn't speak English or dumb other cliché rumors all the foreign exchange students had to carry on their backs. For some reason, everyone seemed to either stay away from Isamu or bully him. He never showed it, but it terrorized him. America was supposed to be this land of opportunity. He took this exchange student offer in hopes that he'd find excitement and whatever else came with it. He never considered that he may fall in love…_

_He always seemed to wear one single expression: sadness. He was incredibly smart in class. He scored higher than most, and while that would make any person overjoyed, I saw nothing but loneliness in those brown eyes._

_The first time I spoke to him was in our art class. He was really good at it, it was like his outlet, "That's amazing," said Chelsea._

"_Thanks, I like yours as well," that was the first thing he ever said to me. I never expected him to respond, and he spoke English so well it was hard to believe it was his second language, of three. _

"_My name is Chelsea," she introduced._

_He looked her in the eyes for the first time, "I know," he smiled. That smile, I loved that smile. I loved those eyes, those lips, but that smile… it set my soul on fire, "We present our work in here, remember? Yours has always stuck out to me."_

_I never realized that all the time I had spent observing him; he was secretly observing me as well. He was nothing like everyone perceived. There wasn't a cold bone in his body, but he desired the warmth of a friend. Instead, a flame of love ignited slowly between us. _

"_Hey, uh," he said weeks after we had started talking, "You… wanna do something? Together I mean?" he was always so shy like that. Isamu feared rejection the most, but we were so inseparable at school, it just wasn't enough._

"_Of course," I had long awaited those words. I thought they might never come._

_One date turned to many more, and dates turned into long nights watching movies, eating dinners, and snuggling with each other. He always said he was horrible at the whole love thing. He had the worst luck when it came to girls… but he blamed himself for most of it._

"_Here," he held out an iris flower he had picked for her on his way walking to school, "you told me they were your favorite, right?" but he always listened. He never missed a single thing I said._

"_Thank you so much," I was so touched by all the little things he did. _

_Even when my clumsy feet got in the way, he was never too far from teasing me from head to toe, "What was that? You throw like a girl," he would laugh, as he played a game of catch with her one summer afternoon. He always said things like that. It was the only way he could tell me how he felt without actually saying it._

_And the one time he got to say it…_

"_I love you," he said._

_I never got to return those words…_

_And now here I am again, fearing those very words. I knew how I felt in my heart, but I didn't want Inuyasha to think I was in love with him all because of Isamu… that wasn't it… I was in love with Inuyasha because… he never let me down. He was always right there… so why couldn't I just tell him I love him? Was it Kagome's feelings? Was it the doubt one gets every time they're about to bare their soul?_

_Naraku, he did so much to Inuyasha. He caused so much pain and suffering in all the people's lives that I care about. Maybe I couldn't tell Inuyasha how I felt, but I could try my damnedest to slay Naraku. I knew I had it in me… This would be how I would express how I felt… like Isamu did for me, teasing me, I did all I could to see Inuyasha smile… it rarely ever happened… but that's what love is right? Making the person you care for genuinely smile… make their pain a little more tolerable… strengthen their most weakest of links. Inuyasha, no matter what happens… I do love you…_

Chelsea had a feeling she knew where Naraku was hiding. There were rumors about a castle being ruled over by a demon. She heard the tea shop owners discussing it before those bandits showed up. It was the only lead she had, and something told her, Naraku wanted to be found by her. He loathed her after all, because other than Inuyasha and Kikyo, she was his biggest threat.

Luckily, travel wasn't something that was a chore for her. Flying gave her an upper hand, and she was there in no time. The moment she landed inside the grounds of the castle, she felt a heavy aura consume her. This was it alright. He purposely made himself known so one way or another he'd be found. As she walked through the castle grounds, looking for the main house, she reflected on all that had happened recently. She wouldn't soon forget how Naraku tried to use her feelings toward Inuyasha to take advantage of her.

Hearing an echo of laughter come from the house up ahead she paused, and waited for him to appear. Coming out of the double doors, Naraku smiled at her, "So you sought me out?" he questioned.

"I'm not here to converse," she remarked.

"I will offer this to you one last time: Come and work for me. Your abilities as a skilled fighter will be most appreciated," Naraku said, his smile growing wicked.

"I'd rather die, than fight alongside you," Chelsea answered.

"So be it then," Naraku stepped down to the ground, "I look forward to seeing Inuyasha's dismay, when he finds your broken body lying dead on this battlefield."

This guy sure talked a lot. In an instant Chelsea was coming toward him, trying to pulverize him with her fire engulfed hands. Naraku had a barrier. Raising his eyebrows, he knew Chelsea wasn't expecting this. The moment her hand touched his barrier, it hurled her back into the ground. She kept coming at him, but nothing seemed to penetrate it. Suddenly, his devilish hand leapt out and grabbed her, slamming her continuously into the ground. He had had enough; this battle was just about over. He had been merely holding back all this time, but now she would understand.

Chelsea knew what she had to do. She felt her heart losing it's might as time was ticking out for her, _"It's my only option…" _Naraku watched her sort things out in her mind as she lay on the ground in front of him. Standing to her feet, she came toward him once more, feeling her body ache all over, and suddenly go numb. She used her energy that remained to sustain a barrier herself, but not around just her, but Naraku's barrier as well, "Atomic Outburst," sighed Chelsea, collapsing as her final blow took effect. Inside that barrier, it was like a nuclear reaction. Her light, mixed with Naraku's Miasma, created a lethal amount of poison, and in such a small space…

The blast could be seen and felt from miles away. In fact, Inuyasha felt the tremor himself, they all did, "Hurry!" he commanded, racing off in its direction, _"Just hold on Chelsea! Don't you dare give up on me!"_ her necklace bounded with Inuyasha's every leap. The closer he came, the stronger the smell became. It was unlike anything he had ever smelt before; it was like the smell fireworks gave off after the dust settled. Something was wrong. When he reached the castle grounds he didn't sense Naraku. The others arrived shortly after Inuyasha.

"Naraku's no longer here," murmured Miroku.

Inuyasha didn't like the impression he was getting, and that's when he smelled it, the scent of human blood, mixed with white peaches and silk blossom. His feet were moving faster than he could carry him. Buildings were collapsed all around him. Chelsea was nowhere to be found, but he could smell her blood faintly through that other smell, "Chelsea! Chelsea say something!" he begged, frantically shifting his eyes in all directions. That's when he saw a pale hand sticking out from one of the piles of rubble. Digging like a mad dog, he felt his heart collapse into nothingness. The others found him, and that's when they knew for sure: Chelsea was dead.

Inuyasha silently held her close to him. Not a word escaped his lips.

_Gasp! Beep… beep… beep…_

Chelsea was blinded by fluorescent light bulbs that seemed to be hovering over her. She was drenched in sweat, and had absolutely no idea where she was.

"_Paging Dr. Bradshaw to F1 35, please report to room F1 35,"_ was what she heard.

She was in… a hospital? Looking down at her arms, she was connected to IVs and all other kinds of contraptions. Was she… back home?

A nurse came in to do her hourly checkup to find the girl sitting up, looking completely lost, "Oh my god," the nurse gasped, "Sherry! She's awake! Call her parents!" she rushed out the door, "After five long months, she finally pulled through her coma!" she cried.

"_Coma?"_ thought Chelsea. Her head was killing her. Looking over at the nightstand beside her bed, there was a bouquet of fresh iris flowers. Her mother had continued to bring her new ones every week. This made Chelsea smile. Tilting her head, she noticed a picture frame turned from her like it had been picked up recently. Taking it in her hand, her eyebrows raised. It was a picture of her and Isamu together. Her heart ached, "Isamu…" she whispered.

"He hasn't moved from that spot," Miroku observed, as the group stared at the far away half demon who banished himself from the group around the camp fire. All day Inuyasha had been alone with his thoughts. He hadn't said a word. He buried Chelsea, and then he stayed put beside her grave. He made sure she was buried in Kaede's village, where her remains would be safe.

"I can't believe…" Kagome started crying again, "that she's gone…" she thought it through, _"Maybe I should tell Inuyasha the truth…"_she forced herself to her feet and slowly approached him. It was as if a massive cloud of darkness hung over him. Sitting down beside him and hugging her knees she sighed, "I wasn't completely honest with you before, Inuyasha." Kagome started, "Chelsea got in a really bad accident before she came to this world," Inuyasha's lowered head started to rise with interest, "it would have taken her life if it hadn't been for a boy named Isamu, who saved her, but it cost him his own life. Inuyasha, that Isamu boy… Chelsea told me she thinks he's your reincarnation," Inuyasha's eyes shot open, "She was very much in love with him I think, so when she realized she lost him, her soul searched for him, and she found you," Kagome smiled half-heartedly, "She fell in love with you Inuyasha… Isamu might have broken down the door, but once Chelsea forced it back shut, you managed to tear down all the walls… she really-"

"Don't say it," he murmured, "Thank you… for telling me… can you please, leave me alone now?"

Kagome put her hand on his stiff shoulder and wished to so badly take him into her arms and cry. She was sad as well; they all were, for losing such a loyal friend, _"What can I say to make him feel any better? Every woman he lets deep inside him… dies." _Slowly Kagome got to her feet and walked off, letting Inuyasha be alone once more.

"Mom," Chelsea started, her voice hoarse, "Isamu died, didn't he?"

Her mother stared down at the floor shamefaced, "Chelsea, they said if he hadn't jerked the steering wheel at the last moment, you would have died… I am so grateful for your life… and I am grateful you found someone who loved you with all of his being."

Chelsea felt her heart pounding, "Does he have a grave where I can visit him?"

"They buried him back home in Japan… Tokyo I believe," explained her mother.

"_Tokyo,"_ thought Chelsea, recalling in a haze of memory that she had been there before, _"Isamu…?"_ she wondered, _"No, that wasn't him…"_

For the first time in many weeks due to her comatose state, Chelsea took a shower. The warmth of the water against her skin was comforting against the aches and pains. Something was peculiar though, as she scrubbed herself with the scent of white peach and silk blossom. She touched her stomach, and felt horizontal scars running across it, deep ones too. Her eyes widened with surprise.

"_Inuyasha, you remember me, don't you?" with each step, her thoughts were tripping over each other, "I could never forget you. Never in a million years," step, step, "And how could I? You, you amaze me Inuyasha," jump, plunging into the depths of the well, "Please, don't leave me behind…"_

"Inuyasha," she murmured.

_Inuyasha grabbed onto her and pulled her back against him. Her back to his front, he held her tight, "You fool, don't ever put yourself in danger for my sake," his voice was shaking._

"_I always will, you'd do it for me." She murmured, and placed her hand over top of his, "I promise I'll come back, you can count on it," she smiled, racing off before Inuyasha could force her to stay._

"Inuyasha," she repeated.

_Inuyasha hid his eyes behind his bangs. What she said… no one had ever said such beautiful words to him. It made him ache all over, "You don't understand. I can still smell your blood under my fingernails. I can't get rid of it. No matter how hard I try to ignore it, you're in this pain because of me."_

_Chelsea did something next that was very out of character for her. Leaning into Inuyasha, she gently kissed his cheek, "I'd rather you have my blood under your nails than not have you at all."_

"Inuyasha,"

_Inuyasha sighed, "We're both hypocrites…" he admitted, "but… Chelsea…" he tried to find the words, "I… I want you to stay." Chelsea was surprised by what she was hearing, but let him continue, "When you said you had no place with us… that really… got to me. You don't have to keep looking for some place you belong. I know exactly where you belong and deep down so do you or you wouldn't have come back… you would have gone home," Inuyasha moved closer and looked down on her, into her eyes so she'd know he was serious, "You belong beside me. I can't do this without you… I need you… I need you to care," he admitted, "I don't want you to give up on me…"_

Tears mixed in with the water that fell from the shower head.

"_What are you dreaming about me for?" asked Inuyasha dryly, sitting beside her on the bed cross-legged with his hands together._

"_I'm not dreaming about you," replied Chelsea._

"_You said my name in your sleep," explained the half-demon with a curious brow._

"_How long have you been sitting there?" growled Chelsea._

"_Long enough," teased Inuyasha looking away._

"_What did you hear?" asked Chelsea frantically._

_Inuyasha rolled his eyes, "Calm down stupid. I snuck into Kagome's window, and when I came in, you said my name. I wasn't sure whether you were awake or sleeping, but then you rolled over so I just sat here and waited, then you woke up."_

Her body ached, as she slowly lost strength and sat down in the tub.

"_Inuyasha…" whispered Chelsea. Seeing him in her mind, watching his hair drift in the wind, taking one last glance at her over his shoulder and then walking away. He disappeared without a trace._

"Inuyasha," she cried aloud. It all made since to her now. She tried to play it off as a dream, but she knew it wasn't. Inuyasha, he was real. Everything they did together it was real too, but how could she ever face him… how could she ever tell him? He must have hated her by now…

"Mom," said Chelsea, coming into the kitchen. She was finally home, but it didn't feel right, "Remember when I left you that voice message?"

Chelsea's mother stopped halfway through making dinner, "What are you talking about?" she wondered in denial.

"I left you a message while I was in my coma…" Chelsea didn't know how to put into words what she wanted to say, "I want to go visit Isamu's grave in Tokyo… I made friends with a girl there, named Kagome… I want to stay with her… there's someone I have to see again."

"Chelsea," started her mother nervously, "You've been through a very hard time, you must have dreamt—"

"Please mom, don't say that… I know it was real… I was there," she lifted up her shirt to reveal her stomach, "You know I was too… Please, I need to see him again,"

"Isamu is dead Chelsea, you can't bring him back," her mother protested.

"Isamu died, so I could keep living for the both of us. He wanted me to be happy. He wanted me to smile a lot. He wanted me to laugh until I cried. He wanted me to feel the loving embrace of a man even if it wasn't him, because he didn't want me to be sad, not for a single moment." Chelsea could still remember those gentle brown eyes urging her to smile, "I never knew what he meant when he'd say to me, "I'll never stop believing in you… but I want you to believe in you… and this way, you'll always have a piece of me with you no matter what. I'll always be around… hanging next to that big heart of yours", but now I know… he's right here… he always has been, and always will be watching over me. He gave me the courage to believe in myself… to believe in others… to believe in love… please mom, please let me go."

"How can you ask something like that?" her mom started to weep, "I just got my baby girl back and she already wants to disappear on me again?"

"Please," Chelsea repeated, "there's someone… who needs me. I need him mom," she closed the gap between them and held onto her mom tightly, "I love you so much," she whimpered, "but I have to…"

"I know," her mom knew it would come to this, she just had this suspicion. Isamu and Chelsea were always inseparable, not even fate or death would drive them apart.

Chelsea was on the next flight to Tokyo. It was a strange feeling, being on a plane. She had never been on one before. Looking out over the city of Tokyo, she was amazed by just how small and insignificant it all looked. The big trees, buildings, businesses, all so small… and even smaller was the boy who meant the entire world to her. When she landed, she seemed to know her way around Tokyo fairly well from when Kagome had showed her around. She took a bus to the place where Isamu was buried. She brought flowers with her, irises.

Inuyasha suddenly could smell something. It was so faint, he thought it might just be wishfully thinking, and yet, it was so fresh and pure: white peaches… and silk blossom. Inuyasha raced passed his group of friends in deep pursuit of this smell, _"Where are you Chelsea? Are you still alive?"_

"Inuyasha?" cried Kagome. In a second's time she was on her feet and heading out after him. Why was he on his way to the Bone Eater's well?

The weather was chilly and rainy. The pavement covered in the clouds' tears. Looking out at the street, Chelsea recalled a day just like this one, _"It was just like this… the weather was exactly the same…"_ She walked into the graveyard, in search for his name. Second row, third from the left, _Isamu Tsuneo_, his gravestone read, "Courageous Eternal Hero," kneeling down to the grave, Chelsea put the irises down and smiled. She felt herself getting emotional. This was the first time in a very long time she got to spend a moment with Isamu, and he wasn't even alive, "Hey," she whispered aloud, "I needed to tell you… what I couldn't that day… I love you too," tears streamed down her face as she leaned her forehead against the gravestone, "Isamu," she pleaded, "Help me… I don't know what I should do… I need you to tell me…" she sobbed, "I… don't want to be alone."

"Chelsea…?" said a familiar voice breathlessly. Inuyasha was shivering head to toe with anxiety and rain. Was it really her? Was she really alive?

Chelsea turned her head to the voice slowly, and stared into those golden eyes once more. Slowly, she stood to her feet, "Inuyasha…" she was afraid to advance toward him, but her legs wanted to go forward, "I…"

He closed the gap immediately when he heard her say his name, "I missed you," he admitted quietly.

Her eyes bulged with surprise. She buried her face in his chest and started to cry, "I missed you too… so much."

Kagome watched from the entrance of the graveyard, almost shocked, but surprisingly not at all jealous. She was so relieved that Chelsea was still alive, and Inuyasha looked so happy, _"She was very much in love with him I think, so when she realized she lost him, her soul searched for him, and she found you."_

"I'm so sorry… if I worried you," Chelsea said sadly.

"Damn right you're sorry!" Inuyasha barked, "I thought you had been killed!" He grabbed her and pulled her tightly against him again, "Don't ever do something so damn stupid again!" he pressed his chin against the top of her head, "You thought Naraku dying would make me happy but, you… you're the one that makes me happy, idiot."

"Is he dead?" wondered Chelsea aloud.

"No…" Inuyasha sighed, "You messed him up pretty bad, but he coward up and ran away."

"Sorry," she apologized again.

"You better be! Don't ever do that again! You got that!" Inuyasha lectured.

Chelsea was sure she wouldn't hear the end of this any time soon, _"Inuyasha, you really missed me… didn't you?"_

Author's notes: It feels like this should be the last chapter, but I love it so much I can't stop writing, plus they aren't officially together yet, so I wanna keep writing. Hope you all enjoyed and continue to read as well. See ya guys at the next chapter.

"_Fare thee well _

_My own true love _

_Farewell for a while _

_I'm going away _

_But I'll be back _

_Though I go 10,000 miles"_

_~10,000 Miles, Mary Chapin Carpenter_


	11. Chapter 11: The Painful Choice

The Bond of Silver and Gold

Chapter 11: The Painful Choice

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of the original characters, plot, or storyline. I only own my fan-made character and her story.

Kagome and Chelsea had found refuge in her room back at the Higurashi household. Inuyasha had a hard time separating himself from the girl who so desperately needed to stay beside him, but he needed to let Miroku and the others know that Chelsea was alright, and that him and the girls would be staying the night in Kagome's time to regain strength. He was worried Chelsea needed rest.

"So what happened exactly?" asked Kagome curiously.

"I'm not really sure. I think I had an out of body experience. My soul was physically searching for Isamu… and suddenly once I was killed, I woke up in my hospital bed where I had been in a coma…" explained Chelsea, still trying to put the pieces together herself. The girls sat quietly together thinking, when Chelsea broke the silence. Opening up her backpack with all her important possessions from home, she had a small photo album with her, "Want to see him?" she asked, handing Kagome the photo album.

"Wow," breathed Kagome, staring at the picture of Isamu and Chelsea. He had his arm around her, and a genuine smile was spread across his face, "They do resemble one another. If he didn't have such short hair they could be twins. Their eyes are exactly the same when Inuyasha's human."

"I think that's why I remembered everything… looking into Inuyasha's eyes that night seemed to open my own…" said Chelsea, looking at the picture.

"You two seem really happy," smiled Kagome, "I've never seen Inuyasha smile the way Isamu is in this picture."

"Yeah," agreed Chelsea, "I hope someday, he will…" she ran her index finger across the boy's face in the picture, perhaps trying to touch him one last time.

Inuyasha came into the window, which caused Chelsea to casually slip the photo album back into her bag. She didn't think she was ready to have that talk about Isamu with him yet, "Welcome back," she greeted.

He shook the rain off of him like a dog, and then sat down with them, "The others say hi, and they're glad you're safe," informed Inuyasha.

Chelsea smiled at this. It was so nice to have people care about her the way these people did.

"I think I'll go take a bath," Kagome said, standing to her feet. These two needed time to talk things out, and it'd be easier if she wasn't sitting there.

The room was filled with awkward silence, "So, what were you showing Kagome that you tried so much to hide?" Inuyasha said with a flat tone to his irritated voice.

Sweat seemed to appear almost instantly on Chelsea's forehead, "What do you mean?"

"Don't play dumb," Inuyasha said leaning into her face.

She blushed violently, "Just pictures,"

"Of him?" asked Inuyasha, "Let me see."

"Are you sure…?" murmured Chelsea with worry.

"Look, I can handle it okay?" He was getting more and more frustrated with her.

Chelsea pulled out the photo album and handed it to him. As he flipped through the pages slowly, examining each picture, he started to realize that, these two weren't just close; they seemed to do everything together, "You were together a long time weren't you?"

"About eight months," figured Chelsea.

"What was he like?" Inuyasha felt sick to his stomach realizing just how much they looked like one another.

Chelsea shrugged, trying to make light of it, "He was very quiet. He didn't talk much at first. People picked on him because he was a foreigner so he kept to himself. Once we got to know each other I realized he was very sarcastic, clever, and independent. Strong too."

Inuyasha felt his heart sink a little, "Really?"

"Yeah, he teased me a lot," Chelsea seemed to get lost in memories, "it was the only way he knew how to show that he cared I think. He'd pick on me like a child would do to their crush."

"He must have really loved you," noticed Inuyasha. Chelsea started to feel guilty watching Inuyasha's face as it scanned each photo, "You must have really loved him too."

"Yes, we had a very close bond," admitted Chelsea, "but fate has a way of changing our paths right when things seem most permanent."

"If you could have him back… I mean if he had never died, you'd be happy right?" asked Inuyasha.

Chelsea was trying to figure out what he was getting at, "His death was unfortunate, and he knew it would devastate me. That's why he led me to a silly fox child, a strong demon slayer, a perverted monk, a wonderful modern day priestess," she paused, and used her hands to close the book, her hand over his, "And the strongest man I've ever known."

Inuyasha stared into her eyes. He was looking for answers to questions which he didn't even know, but deep down it came to, "Do you regret it? Meeting me I mean?" questioned Inuyasha.

"I would have rather died by Naraku's hand, than to have never been holding yours right now," answered Chelsea genuinely, "I mean that with all of my heart." Dying was less painful in her mind, then not being by his side. Chelsea slowly put the photo album back into her back pack.

Inuyasha stared at the boards of the floor, feeling almost at a loss for words. She always knew exactly what to say, and when she did, it was the most beautiful words he had ever heard. That's when he felt two gentle hands start to massage his shoulders. He froze in place.

"I promised I'd give you a massage when we were together here next. I never forget a promise," Chelsea explained, working the knots out of his tough shoulders, "They're even worse than before."

Inuyasha instantly felt a bit of relief. It felt so nice. No one ever took care of him, but that was because he never let them, yet with her, he couldn't say no. He was so silent; Chelsea thought he was upset with her. Slowly, Inuyasha seemed to revert back into a child-like state, as he slowly curled up on her lap. She could no longer really reach his back to massage it properly, with his head on her lap. Instead, she decided running her fingers delicately through his hair would serve just as effective. He had fallen into such a deep sleep so suddenly. Chelsea loved how innocent his expression was while he slept.

"He's been awake ever since you disappeared, when you went off to defeat Naraku," explained Kagome, coming back in the room with a towel wrapped around her hair.

"How long has it been?" wondered Chelsea.

"Three days," confirmed Kagome, "he hasn't eaten either. I was hoping he'd finally eat now, but once Inuyasha's out like that, it's best not to wake him," Kagome felt a twinge of pain at her next remark, "He seems to be so lost when you're gone."

Chelsea shook her head, "Silly boy," she whispered.

"He might be," agreed Kagome, "but if he is, he's silly for you."

Chelsea felt a bit ashamed. There was no way she could ever bring herself to step between Inuyasha and Kagome, no matter how much she… no she wouldn't even think of the "L" word. Before Chelsea could address that, Kagome had vanished out the door again. Without warning, Chelsea felt her body start to feel incredibly weak. Inuyasha wasn't the only one completely exhausted. Resting her head against the side of Kagome's bed, she fell asleep with Inuyasha's hand in hers.

Inuyasha stirred the next morning. He couldn't recall ever falling asleep. What was he lying against? Somehow in their sleep Inuyasha had found his way to Chelsea's chest, and rested his head against it. She was so warm, and the sound of her beating heart soothed him. Now however, he felt extremely embarrassed, as he suddenly jerked away from her, _"What am I doing!"_ he thought. He stared at the girl's sleeping face, watching her slowly breathe in and out. She looked so tranquil… but how did he end up snuggled so intimately against her like that! He remembered feeling really warm, and feeling so at ease. His mind could finally stop racing for the first time in days. Did exhaustion consume him?

Quietly he stood up, and glanced over at the slumbering Kagome, all wrapped up in her blankets on her bed. Sometimes he thought that Kagome and Chelsea might be better off if they just stayed in their own time where it was safer for them. Inuyasha silently walked downstairs. His footsteps left no trace of sound. As he came into the kitchen, Grandpa and Sota sat watching the news on the television. Mrs. Higurashi was preparing breakfast, "Goodmorning dear," she greeted Inuyasha.

"Morning," he nodded, letting a yawn escape his lips.

"Inuyasha, I've got a question," stated Sota, "who are you more into: Chelsea or my sister?"

Inuyasha felt like a giant boulder had been dropped on his back, "What are you talking about?"

"Sis seemed really down last night, I just wondered if she and Chelsea had been fighting over you. You know how girls get when they both like the same guy." Sota's innocence was the only thing that kept Inuyasha from clobbering him.

Inuyasha's eye twitched, "I don't know what you're going on about."

"Huh? So you and Kagome are still going steady?" he asked.

Inuyasha growled, "Since when were we ever 'going steady'?"

"I just always got the impression that you two were a couple," Sota said tilting his head, "but Chelsea stayed with you guys when she had the option to go home a couple weeks ago right? And now she's back again, even after going home. Which brings me to believe she either is really close to all of you, or really has a thing for you. She came back for _you_, didn't she?" Sota was really observant for a kid.

"Here you go," smiled Mrs. Higurashi, giving Inuyasha a plate of breakfast.

"Thank you," said Inuyasha, his stomach immediately growling furiously. He stuffed the food down faster than his throat could swallow.

"I'll get you a second plate," said Kagome's mom, grabbing the plate to restock it, "You must be really hungry."

"Starving," belched Inuyasha, as he stretched.

Kagome was next to enter the kitchen. Everything was the same as before, so why was the atmosphere so tense when she walked in? She sat down beside Inuyasha quietly, graciously taking the plate of food her mother prepared for her, "Thanks mom," she smiled.

"Kagome," Inuyasha said, watching her quietly eat, "are you okay?"

"I'm just fine," nodded Kagome, her face saying otherwise.

Chelsea came in stretching. Her neck was stiff from sitting up all night while she slept. Sitting down on the other side of Inuyasha, the tense cloud resonating over Kagome seemed to grow with size. Inuyasha started to feel sick, "Morning everyone," greeted Chelsea sleepily.

"How are you feeling hon?" asked Kagome's mother concerned, "Kagome told us everything last night."

"I'm fine," Chelsea half-smiled, something didn't feel right in here.

Inuyasha leaned back in his chair with his hands behind his head. Using his foot he let the chair stand on the two back legs, holding himself in that position.

Kagome immediately snapped, "Inuyasha that's disgusting. Get your foot off the table!"

"What's the big deal?" barked Inuyasha.

"It's rude! Like you!" growled Kagome.

"What's your deal!" retorted Inuyasha.

"Sit boy!" Kagome snuffed, as the half demon fell backwards and hit the back of his head hard against the floor.

Chelsea felt worry rush over her. She knew where Kagome was coming from, but she didn't need to be so brash this early in the morning. Plus she imagined that hurt Inuyasha pretty badly. His pride and all, "Inuyasha," she bent down to help him to his feet. He was seeing stars until he heard Chelsea's voice, looking up at her, he recalled where he was sleeping last night and a slight scarlette touched his face, "here, I'll help you up, kay?" she asked, and he slowly nodded.

After breakfast the trio grabbed up their things and headed back through the well. It was nice to be returning to the others. Maybe things would go back to normal now. Chelsea hoped so, because Kagome was just so down acting it was starting to affect everyone else.

"They're back!" cried Shippo happily as he bounded toward Chelsea. Giving her a big hug it felt like it was the first time in ages since he had seen her.

"Hello Shippo, it's good to see you too," she smiled in response.

"You're looking lovely," greeted Miroku.

Sango grinned with enthusiasm, "Glad you're back."

"I missed you guys," nodded Chelsea.

Kagome seemed to go off by herself to think, heading to the sacred tree, "What's her problem?" grunted Inuyasha.

Chelsea noticed how distant Kagome had made herself and handed off Shippo to Sango, "I'll be right back, I'm going to go talk to Kagome really quick." She made her way into the forest and found Kagome sitting under the giant tree, "Kagome,"

"Hey," the school girl half smiled.

"This is where you met him huh?" asked Chelsea.

"Inuyasha?" asked Kagome, "Yeah."

Chelsea sat beside her and looked up at the lovely branches dancing back and forth, "I need to talk to you,"

"_Here it comes,"_ thought Kagome_, "she's going to tell me her and Inuyasha are going to be together,"_ Kagome tried to mentally prepare herself.

"Look, I know what I said that night, but nothing changes," Chelsea said. Kagome wasn't sure what she was meaning, "Inuyasha doesn't know how I feel. Nothing's changed. I want you…. I want you to be with him okay?"

Kagome's eyes bulged, "What are you saying? Don't you love Inuyasha?"

Chelsea turned away, "You love him, that's all that matters to me. I didn't come here to start trouble and wind up making everyone here hate me because I broke up the power couple. Inuyasha and I have a great bond. Were a lot alike, and that allows us to discuss just about everything, but… I don't deserve him. Not after losing Isamu. I still feel responsible, and I have yet to let myself grieve," she paused and looked to the sky, "I just want to stay by his side. You're the one he should be with."

Kagome stared at the girl as she spoke, still not understanding, _"I thought the same thing about Kikyo back then…"_ thought Kagome, feeling ashamed, _"Now some other girl who really loves him, is doing the same for me,"_ Kagome felt tears cloud up her vision, "How can you do this to me?" she smiled, "How can you say something like that? All it does is make me feel bad. You're willing to put my happiness over yours? What about Inuyasha? What about how he feels?"

Chelsea shrugged, "He doesn't love me Kagome."

"How can you even say that!" cried Kagome, "He looks into your eyes and he just… I've never seen him so happy. He spends time with you, he talks to you, he searches for you even when everyone's sure you're gone, and he'd spend the rest of his life looking for you, if that's what it took to have you with him. Does that not tell you how he feels!"

Chelsea lowered her head, allowing her long hair to fall in front of her face. She was silently crying. God she loved him so much, but Kagome, Miroku, Sango, Shippo, and Kirara, they all meant a lot to her too. If she screwed up this little family of misfits, she'd hate herself, even more than she already did, "I'm not in the way Kagome," she said standing up, clearing her expression of all sadness, "So don't be sad anymore okay?" she smiled, "Inuyasha doesn't like seeing you like that," she wiped a tear from Kagome's face, "once you've cheered up, come back to all of us. We'll be waiting."

Chelsea started back to the others, thinking through what had taken place. She made up in her mind what she needed to do. When she approached the others, Inuyasha's face produced a tiny smile, "You're back."

She walked right passed him like he wasn't even there. This made Inuyasha's heart dive into the pits of his stomach. Chelsea did this on purpose, "So do you still have some candy left?" she wondered, taking Shippo in her hands once more.

"I kept some of it to remember you by when I thought you died," replied Shippo.

Inuyasha looked back at them, staring at Chelsea thoughtfully, _"Was that in my head? What happened just now?"_

Chelsea decided that by separating herself from Inuyasha, and not spending so much time with him, would be best for everyone. With that, she put on her fake smile, laughed for everyone, and let go the hand of the one person who could make her genuinely happy.

Author's notes: Whelp, sorry for the delay in writing. I have some ideas in store that are sure to shake things up a bit (besides the whole Chelsea separating herself from Inuyasha, which will take its affects soon enough) Thanks for being patient with me readers. Please review if you get the chance. See ya at the next chapter.

"_Come up to meet you, _

_Tell you I'm sorry,_

_You don't know how lovely you are._

_I had to find you, tell you I need you._

_Tell you I set you apart."_

_~The Scientist, Coldplay_


	12. Chapter 12: A Candle inside a Hurricane

The Bond of Silver and Gold

Chapter 12: A Candle In A Hurricane

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of the original characters, plot, or storyline. I only own my fan-made character and her story.

A couple days passed, and all was quiet since Naraku went into hiding to regain his strength after his run in with Chelsea. Though things seemed relatively normal, things between Chelsea and Inuyasha were really strange. When the group was walking along a trail, Inuyasha would have Kagome on his back while Chelsea walked behind the group, using Sango and Miroku as a barricade. When they would gather around a fire, if Inuyasha sat down beside her, she'd walked off shortly after.

It was things like this; small tedious acts that were making Inuyasha go crazy on the inside. What the hell had he done? Why was she so distant and cold toward him, but fine with everyone else? He thought of all the possible reasons, but it never occurred to him really that she started acting that way after she had finished speaking with Kagome.

One night, Inuyasha decided to distance himself from the group in a nearby tree. He didn't want Chelsea to have to get up and leave just because he was there. He felt himself breaking into pieces on the inside. Even when he tried to talk to her, she'd ask if it could wait or make up some other lame excuse. He was going insane trying to figure out what he had done.

"Inuyasha," Kagome said at the base of the tree looking up, "it's time to eat."

"I'm not hungry," murmured Inuyasha.

"Come on, you haven't been eating well and you need your strength," Kagome replied worried.

He hopped down to the ground and looked into her eyes longingly. Maybe Kagome knew? "Kagome," he started, "Do you know why Chelsea… hates me?" his ears seemed to almost lower in sadness, "I dunno if it's because I fell asleep on her that night at your house or the fact that my face reminds her of Isamu, or what? But one minute she was fine. She was happy to see me, and happy to be here… and then suddenly, it's like I don't even exist anymore…"

Kagome felt a wave of guilt wash over her body. She had noticed it too, but tried to keep a straight face around Inuyasha. She could tell it was completely destroying him on the inside. She needed to speak with Chelsea and get this whole thing resolved. This wasn't what she wanted at all. She just wanted Inuyasha to be happy… but right now he definitely wasn't, "Maybe you should talk to her," how could she say it might have been her fault? How would she put that into words without Inuyasha barking at her?

"She'll just blow me off again," he sighed, heading back to camp with his head hung low.

"Inuyasha…" whispered Kagome sorrowfully.

When Inuyasha returned to camp, Chelsea wasn't there. The others knew that she was the one he was looking for, "She went to take a walk," informed Sango.

Inuyasha sat down, staring quietly at the ground. His expression was so sullen. Maybe Kagome was right… maybe if he just tried one more time, but what if she refused his attention again. It was piss him off to no end!

Chelsea had made it to another clearing on the other side of the trees nearby camp. She sat in the grass quietly, and covered her face with her hands. She was crying, in silent hysterics. Dying to catch her breath, no, just one breath of _him_. If she could just hold him in her arms for a single second… if she could just feel his lips against hers just once, she wouldn't be selfish ever again… just one moment of selfishness. She needed Inuyasha. Every night up until now she had done this same routine: Exile, self-punishment, and forced happy smile in the morning.

From the ground erupted a centipede demon, ready to tear Chelsea's head off. As she went to blast the beast with her light energy, she was struck frozen, _"What's going on? How come I can't summon my light?"_ she started to panic, as the centipede tried to head-butt her into the ground. She just barely dodged, her leg getting a nick from one of the centipede's many legs. She was lying on the ground, frightened by just how unbalanced she was, "My powers… they're gone."

As the centipede came up for another strike, the declaration of "Iron Reaver Soul Stealer!" raged through the air and sliced the demon into a thousand pieces that were carried off into the night wind. Inuyasha landed in front of her, smelling her blood the moment the demon injured her, "Are you alright?"

Chelsea was at a loss for words, as tears just started crashing from her eyes like waterfalls, "Inuyasha," she whimpered his name, "I think I'm… normal now…"

Inuyasha was taken off guard by her response to his entrance, "What?"

"I can't summon my light anymore," Chelsea informed.

Inuyasha was blown away by this. Kneeling down in front of her he stared her deeply in the eyes; "Are you serious?" he had a hard time mustering up the words.

"Positive…" If Inuyasha hadn't shown up, she'd have died. She suddenly felt completely useless.

Inuyasha took her leg in his hands gingerly, examining the flesh wound, "He scratched ya, but I think you'll be okay."

Chelsea blushed deeply and pulled her leg away. No matter how much she desired his touch, she had to pull away, "Thanks for saving me."

He slowly stood to his feet, and turned away from her, "It is because of that night at Kagome's isn't it?" he mumbled.

"What?" she asked.

"You're mad at me… because I got so close to you that night at Kagome's. It happened while I was sleeping, I didn't mean to offend you," Inuyasha was talking so quickly Chelsea needed time to process the words.

"Inuyasha, I don't know what you're talking about. I was glad you trusted me enough to sleep against me," she replied.

"But…" he said looking over his shoulder, "I thought you feared guys getting close to you because of how those men treated you."

"Well yeah, but that doesn't mean I mind you being close to me," she answered.

"Is it because my face is his?" he growled, turning toward her.

"Isamu? Why are you bringing him up?" she wondered.

"Why do you hate me!" he finally boomed.

"Since when do I hate you?" barked Chelsea.

"I don't know! That's what I want to know! Ever since we came back to this time you've been avoiding me at all turns!" Inuyasha came closer to her, "Don't you know you've been driving me crazy!" their faces were inches apart, staring each other down.

Chelsea felt herself start to tear up, but choked it back, "I could never ever, ever hate you Inuyasha."

"Then what is it?" he asked, nearly pleading, "Tell me, so I can fix it and we can move on," He felt so torn, "You've been just steps away from me, finally, but…" his voice trailed off, "but it feels like we're years apart from one another."

Chelsea felt a stab to her heart. She had to figure out how to say it, "It just seemed to really bother Kagome that I was so close to you, and all the attention I was getting from everyone since I came back… I just felt really guilty."

"Why does that matter?" he asked.

"It does matter. Kagome's feelings matter to me," Chelsea sighed.

"What about my feelings?" Inuyasha questioned, his tone confused and frustrated.

"_How can you say something like that? All it does is make me feel bad. You're willing to put my happiness over yours? What about Inuyasha? What about how he feels?"_

Chelsea recalled Kagome's words. Kagome knew Inuyasha better than she thought. Chelsea stared down at the ground quietly, collecting her thoughts.

"I don't know what Kagome has to do with this, and I'll talk to her if I have to, but I want to know why you're treating me like some stranger," Inuyasha stepped closer.

Chelsea realized all along she had been the selfish one. She hadn't taken into account how Inuyasha felt. She figured there was no way he could ever care about her this much, but reflecting back on all they had been through, how could they not care about one another. They were one in the same, "I'm sorry… I didn't mean to hurt you," she finally spoke, "I… I've been going crazy… trying to keep myself from you so maybe Kagome could talk with you more… like we do… since that's always seemed to be the issue… but I just can't do it anymore…" she looked up at him with tear filled eyes, "So I won't anymore… if you can forgive me."

Inuyasha felt a rush of relief as he nearly squeezed the life out of her in an embrace, "You're so stupid."

Chelsea started to laugh at his insult, but the laughter turned into sobbing as she buried her face into his shoulder.

"Is there something else wrong?" he whispered.

Chelsea shook her head, "I just… really… needed this. Your touch…" Inuyasha felt moved by her words, "Thank you… for not giving up on me…"

He shook his head and smirked, "I'd never give up on you." His words were genuine.

Kagome and others watched from the trees, _"Thank goodness…"_ thought Kagome. She was tired of how things were turning out, and Inuyasha finally looked happy once more.

Still there was the issue of Chelsea being powerless. How did that happen? As those thoughts crept into her mind, she realized she wasn't just crying because of the moment she was sharing with Inuyasha, but the utter uselessness that she felt deep inside. What had happened to her light abilities? Her freedom to take flight? All of it: gone.

The group decided to go back to Kaede and see if the wise old woman could figure out what was going on, "Ye can't summon your light powers?" asked the old woman in surprise.

"For some reason, I can't even feel it inside me any longer," answered Chelsea.

Kaede thought this through, "Perhaps by having that out of body experience from before, your spirit felt vulnerable, which awakened it's true potential. Since your soul now rests inside your body—"

The voice of a flea full of wisdom cut Kaeda off as he leapt onto Inuyasha's shoulder, "Your powers are in a state of dormancy," he finished.

"Myoga, it's you." Inuyasha said, glancing at the flea.

"Hello Master Inuyasha," he said starting to suck the blood from the half demon's neck, "long time no see!"

Inuyasha smacked the flea, causing him to fall to the ground.

"Dormancy?" asked Chelsea.

"My thoughts exactly," murmured Kaede.

"Tell me," Myoga started, recovering from the blow, "When did you first start using your powers? What caused them to awaken in the first place?"

Chelsea thought it over, "I felt threatened by a gang of bandits."

"It would appear that your powers rely deeply on your emotions," Kaede informed her.

"Precisely," agreed Myoga, "Your instincts essentially took over in that instance, and from your soul sprang your true potential. When your soul returned to the body it inhabited after your boast with Naraku, it felt safe and secure once more and simply reverted back into its state of dormancy."

"It's just a hunch," Kaede explained, "but perhaps if you were put on the edge of your limits once more, the abilities you possessed might resurface once more. Not only that, but you'd possibly be even stronger."

"Why's that Kaede?" asked Kagome.

"Obviously Chelsea has a fragile soul. Through each traumatic experience that she survives, her body, heart, mind and soul mend and grow stronger. By unleashing the power in her soul once more, it's undoubtedly true she would be stronger," Kaede said, pouring Kagome a fresh cup of tea.

Myoga thought differently however, "I'm sorry to say this, but I think I have to disagree from this point," the group turned their attention back to the wise old flea, "It is true that if the soul were to resurface, your strength and power would increase, but you being just a mortal girl who hadn't possessed her abilities long, well, it would take time to unleash such power again. There's a great chance it will never happen again."

Chelsea felt her heart stop at his words.

"Not to mention the fact that you were so reckless in your battle with Naraku. You essentially blew up your powers and your soul along with it. Your soul has been injured, and for it to resurface as your light powers would be well… the odds are against you," Myoga explained, "You pushed too hard, your soul no longer trusts you, and your body is now imbalanced."

Chelsea felt herself start to tremble. She couldn't believe it. So there was close to no way of being powerful again?

Kaede saw the old flea's point, "However child, ye are special, which he failed to take into account," she wanted to give the girl something to believe in, "I've never met a mortal who could do the things you do. You even surpassed my older sister Kikyo, whose spiritual prowess was impressive beyond measure," she looked Chelsea straight into her eyes, "Don't sell ye-self short based on a formality. I see great things for you."

Chelsea stood to her feet, "Thank you Lady Kaede, Myoga." She nodded and exited the hut.

Myoga looked to Kaede, "I understand your thoughts, but don't you think it's a little hopeless. Humans are not strong. They're fragile things, and break in the slightness of breeze. If she were even a half-demon I would say she stands a chance, but—"

"—Ye are also selling the girl short," Kaede said sternly, "because of what ye said, ye have only crimpled her soul more," she looked to the girl's friends, "It is best not to lose hope, but better to let her leave with something to believe in. I've seen that look in many of these other kids' faces. Not only did ye manage to put in her head that she cannot summon her abilities ever again, but ye made her blame herself for the dormancy of said abilities. Such negativity could only separate her heart and soul more."

Myoga felt glares shooting at him from all directions of the room, as a pool of sweat puddled below him, "Whelp, that's my cue!" he said disappearing before Inuyasha could get a tightly clasped fist around him.

"Poor Chelsea," murmured Kagome, running her index finger along the rim of her cup.

"A woman's heart is more sensitive than that of a man's. A man would take such words as a challenge and push himself, but with Chelsea, being someone who has already been through quite the level of stress no woman should have to face, I imagine she's feeling pretty hopeless right now," Miroku explained.

"She wants to help us defeat Naraku. I bet she feels that now her powers are gone, she can't," Kagome said, trying to pinpoint what Chelsea might be thinking.

"That's not true," mumbled Inuyasha getting to his feet and exiting Kaede's house. He followed Chelsea's scent to the find her sitting under a shade tree, looking deep in thought. Sitting down beside her, he tried to be positive, in his own way, "Don't beat yourself up about this. I know you can do it."

Her voice was so monotone, "But what if I can't?" she sighed, "What if they never awaken? I'll just get in the way Inuyasha. You already have Kagome to protect; you don't need me distracting you on the battlefield too."

"How can you even say that?" Inuyasha said looking at the clouds, "Do you think anything has changed?" he cautiously put his hand over top of hers, "I told you a long time ago I'd protect you right? That hasn't changed."

"But I lost the one thing that got us closer together. The fact that I had abilities against the odds, me being one of a kind, that's what made us so alike… now that that's gone I feel so far away from you again," Chelsea sadly smiled to herself, "You don't need a useless person like me around."

"But that's where you're wrong," Inuyasha said, turning to her, "I don't need your light powers or power of flight or whatever else you're capable of. I need you, Chelsea." He said genuinely, "I need you behind me, believing in me. That's all I've ever needed from you," he took her hand in his, "If it means that much to you, then me and the others will help you try to get your powers back. It's not hopeless."

Chelsea still wore the look of sadness across her face, but put on a smile for Inuyasha's sake, "Alright."

Author's notes: Darn Myoga kicking a girl while she's down. =] Glad Inuyasha still believes in her and hopefully that'll help her regain her strength. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Thanks for reading and please review! =D

"_And I will walk on water_

_And you will catch me if I fall_

_And I will get lost into your eyes_

_I know everything will be alright_

_I know everything is alright."_

_~Storm, Lifehouse_


	13. Chapter 13: Joining the Heart and Soul

The Bond of Silver and Gold

Chapter 13: Joining the Heart and Soul

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of the original characters, plot, or storyline. I only own my fan-made character and her story.

Before the group decided to set out, Kaede requested that Chelsea come see her privately so they could talk. The two sat across from another, looking deeply into each other's hard gaze. Kaede saw the soul of a fighter inside the girl, but there wasn't just that; great turmoil was swelling inside this girl, "Chelsea, I must ask ye a question."

"Yes?" she responded, assuming this had to do with her abilities being in a state of dormancy.

"Kagome told me ye lost a lover in a tragic accident. I am sorry for your loss," Kaede said lowering her head for a moment and then continuing, "She also informed me that this young man appeared to be the reincarnation of our own Inuyasha."

Chelsea nodded quietly, picturing Isamu in her mind.

"I see, well my question is: Do ye think you've had time to grief for such a loss?" wondered Kaede getting to the point.

Chelsea thought about it for a time, "No," she answered honestly, "not really."

"Why is that, do ye think?" the wise old priestess questioned.

Chelsea looked down at the floor, "Can this be kept in confidence?"

"Of course," nodded Kaede. She had nothing, but respect for the girl after all.

"I deeply care for Inuyasha and the others… I've caused them so much worry. Sometimes when I think about Isamu, all I wanna do is break down… it feels like he isn't gone. Like it hasn't set in. I think I'm still in the denial stage," she half-smiled, "I don't want to cause more worry with the others, so I just hold it in."

"Ye have a tendency to do that often, don't ye?" Kaede straightened her back.

Chelsea sighed, "I guess somewhat. Though I like to think I'm actually a very brutally honest person. I try to stick to the truth since lies only cause problems."

Kaede thought about this, "But there is also something else troubling ye, is there not?"

Chelsea let the question sink in, as Inuyasha's face came to her mind. She felt her whole body ache, "You could say that…" she whispered.

"Listen child," Kaede stated sternly, "the longer ye deny feelings for the past ye carry on your shoulders on the present that seemed just beyond your fingertips, the harder it will be for ye to recover your powers," Kaede looked into her eyes once more, "Your heart is confused, and your soul is lost and in the dark. If you can manage to unify the two, your abilities will reawaken, but only when ye can be completely true to yourself, will this happen."

Chelsea felt all the energy leave her body. What could she do?

"Chelsea," Kaede said, breaking her thoughts. Taking a bit of powder that shimmered in the old priestess's hand she dropped it in the big pot between them. The pot started to glow, "When ye peer inside the caldron, ye will see your desires. If you're confused on what those are, why not use it as your guide. The spell I used looks deep into the heart of the beholder and shows them what they truly want."

Chelsea almost feared what might be awaiting her on the inside of the caldron. Slowly she got up on her knees and peered inside. She suddenly felt weightless, almost as if she was being carried into the caldron.

_When she opened her eyes, she was in a meadow full of iris flowers in different shades of the rainbow. There was a gentle spring breeze that tickled her face, causing her to look in the direction of the flowing, cascading stream of crystal blue. She felt relaxed here. For the first time, she was so calm. She lay back in the grass, closing her eyes and taking in the fresh oxygen, letting it cleanse her insides. When she opened her eyes, a certain boy with dog ears was staring down at her with his arms crossed. His expression was as pouty as ever._

"_What are you doing?" he huffed._

"_Relaxing," she replied simply. She slowly sat up; never breaking contact with those golden eyes she cherished so much._

"_What's the goofy look for?" asked the half demon cocking his head curiously._

"_Nothing," she smiled, "just happy to see you."_

"_Happy to see me?" he asked._

"_Why wouldn't I be?" she wondered._

_He looked off in the distance, his face growing flushed, "Nothing. Forget it."_

"_Is there something bothering you?" she asked, standing to her feet._

"_Why do you say that?" questioned Inuyasha rolling his eyes._

"_You're being more crabby than usual," Chelsea snapped, as he turned away from her._

"_Chelsea," he murmured gently._

"_What?" she asked. Why the sudden change of tone?_

"_I need to ask you something," he finally said after a long pause. Turning to her, he came closer to her, "I need to know… how you feel… about me."_

_Chelsea's heart came to a brick wall, hit it, went into cardiac arrest, was revived by a defibrillator and was then smashed by an anvil, "What?" she choked._

"_Tell me the truth," he demanded, his eyes seeming to dig deeply into hers._

"_Inuyasha, I—", she stuttered, feeling his warmth against her face, or was that her blushing? _

"_Spit it out!" he growled._

"_I, I love you, Inuyasha…" she murmured._

_He paused again for a long while, taking her face in his hands. He then did something completely out of character, and if her heart hadn't gone through enough complete and utter insanity, feeling his lips against hers sent her spiraling into nirvana._

Chelsea became conscious once more, covered in sweat. She was breathing heavily as she looked up to see Kaede once more. Tears started to flow down her face as she shook her head, "I can't—", she cried, "I can't want that!"

Kaede looked worried for the girl, "What did ye see?" The spell had definitely taken a toll on the poor girl.

"I can't say…" Chelsea said almost inaudibly.

"It stays in confidence. Maybe if ye tell someone, you'll feel better." Kaede said, coming close to the girl now, to her side.

"Everything is just so… messed up," Chelsea whimpered, putting her face to the old woman's shoulder as she started to sob. Kaede was relieved, to finally see the girl break down. She needed to let it all out. It would bring her soul and heart closer together once more.

"This is what happens when you let things bottle up," said the old woman, patting her back gently.

"I miss Isamu… I hate that I never got to really say goodbye… I feel guilty for missing his funeral… I feel like it's all my fault he was killed…" she blubbered, "I feel like I've let everyone down for letting Naraku get away. He was right there. I had him! And now I can't even help everyone, I'll just get in the way."

Kaede felt deep sympathy for the poor child. Oh the responsibilities she took all on her own. What a weight there must be. Too heavy a burden for one person to take all alone, "And the vision? Seems to me that's the biggest burden of all."

"When you said," Chelsea began, "that it might make me feel better to tell someone… it hasn't… someone already knows and I regret ever confessing it to them."

"What is it child?" Kaede asked with worry.

Chelsea paused, "It's not a burden… not at all…" Chelsea pictured Inuyasha's smiling face, "He's the only reason I breathe… I live to see him smile…" her voice cracked, "I breathe in hopes to one day hear his laughter, and not just once, but often" tears continued to flow, "I… I love Inuyasha…"

Kaede was shocked by this, but something did seem fishy when Kagome was explaining Chelsea's situation. So Kagome was aware of these strong feelings this girl had for the same man she was in love with as well, "I see."

Chelsea pulled away and looked into the woman's one good eye, "But I can't tell him, not because I don't want to… I feel like I was born to tell him… like it was what I'm here to do… so instead of saying it… I protect him, I talk to him when he's waging war on the inside, and I always encourage him to be himself, because that's what I love most about him. I can't tell him because us meeting is purely coincidence… the desperation of my heart calling out to him… Kagome… it's like she was meant for him."

Kaede thought the girl's words through thoroughly, "It wasn't coincidence, but fate that brought you two together. You were in love with Inuyasha's reincarnation and because of such a bond; you were reunited with him again. You must be true to your feelings child. If you wish to protect him and give all the happiness you desire for him, it must be done with a true heart," the woman smiled, "and ye have the purest of hearts I know."

Chelsea stared at the woman, unsure of what to say.

"I know just by looking at ye, that if ye and Inuyasha work as one. A unified power, Naraku will lay slain at your feet. With the help of Kagome, Sango, Miroku, and Shippo, there is nothing you cannot achieve," Kaede touched her shoulder, "Don't worry about Kagome. She's a tough one. And she loves Inuyasha too I see, but she also loves you as well. You two are very close friends, and she will not refuse your happiness."

"But Inuyasha…" Chelsea whispered.

"Time can only tell if there is room in his wounded heart, but ye managed to make him overlook my sister, the lady Kikyo who originally bound him and his heart into a place where time was put on hold and his desire belonged to her. That's a start," the old priestess encouraged, "When the time is right, ye will know. Whatever will be, will be."

Chelsea smiled a little, "Thank you… so much. I wish I could express to you just how much this has made me feel better."

"You run along now," grinned Kaede, "your friends are waiting for you."

Chelsea hugged Kaede tightly, "I'll sock Naraku once in the jaw for you as well," she joked.

Kaede laughed, "That's my girl!"

Inuyasha and the others were waiting on the outskirts of town for their golden haired friend to return to them; hopefully feeling better than she did before she left. They all knew she was taking this very hard, and wished there was some way they could help her.

"Poor Chelsea," grumbled Shippo, leaning against Chelsea's duffel bag, resting. He loved her scent and it was all over her bag.

Kagome sighed, "Yeah, I imagine she took that news harder than she's letting on."

"Perhaps we should take a break from fighting, explore a few villages and see if we can find the whereabouts of Naraku," said Miroku.

"You might be right," Sango agreed, "after all, the further we stay away from confrontation the less she'll think about her powers in a state of dormancy."

Inuyasha scoffed at his friends' blabbering, "You can't tell me you'd rather Naraku regain strength and wait for him to get more powerful! We should find him while he's weak!"

Miroku looked to his half demon, hard headed friend, "You misunderstand me. We have no idea where Naraku even is, but maybe we'll get some leads if we go back to the place where he was injured and search the surrounding villages. Plus, the cities will take Chelsea's mind off of it, and perhaps give her time to resurface her abilities."

Kagome gave Inuyasha a hard stare, and he immediately noticed. Glaring back at her he growled, "What're you lookin' at?"

"You don't want Chelsea to recover her powers do you Inuyasha?" questioned Kagome.

"What are you going on about now?" he huffed.

"You like that she's vulnerable because now you feel like you can finally protect her don't you?" Kagome hit the nail on the head.

"You're so selfish," Shippo sighed.

"Shut up, the both of you!" boomed Inuyasha, looking down in defeat, "If she regains her powers it won't bother me, but I'm in no hurry for her to regain them either. Her vulnerability will keep her from making those stupid snap decisions she's known for and think twice before acting."

"Inuyasha," started Miroku, "You realize her being vulnerable is much worse than her being powerful like before," the monk paused, leaning back against a tree, "Chelsea is a mere mortal in her current state. Taking any sort of blow like before could prove fatal to her now. I understand your desire to protect her with your life, but you can't be selfish or it might just cost her hers."

Inuyasha hated to admit it, but deep down he knew Miroku was right, "Like I'd let her die. Look, I said I'd protect her, and that's what I'm going to do. So drop it already."

"We all will protect her," Sango agreed.

Kagome had a look of newfound worry on her face. Shippo noticed this and called attention to it, "You okay, Kagome?"

"I'm just worried," muttered Kagome, "if Chelsea senses we're trying to protect her, she'll get defensive."

"Why do you say that?" questioned Inuyasha.

"Because you two are a lot alike and I know that's what you'd do," Kagome responded.

Miroku nodded his head, "Chelsea is used to being able to fend for herself. This all is a very new feeling for her. Until we can come up with a better plan, let's just treat her same as we always have, and trust our instincts when the moment calls for it."

Shippo whined, "Do you think Chelsea will be able to regain her powers?"

"Hard to say," Miroku murmured, "Based on willpower, I would say she has a great chance. However, as Kaede and Myoga said, her soul has taken a serious beating. She is suffering mentally whether she lets any of us know or not."

"What do you mean?" Inuyasha got defensive at the monk's comment. There wasn't anything Chelsea wouldn't tell him.

"Have you ever stopped to ask her how she's handling your reincarnation's death, Inuyasha?" Miroku questioned, "The death of a loved one can have crippling affects. It can last weeks, months, years if possible. What did Chelsea do when she first woke up from her deep sleep? Chelsea hasn't exactly had time to recover, because she came straight here. She came straight back to you."

Inuyasha felt guilt tug at his heart. That was two for two on Miroku's part. Maybe this guy really did know something's about women, "You think you know women so well."

"Not women, but as a living creature, anyone would mourn the death of their lover," Miroku replied.

Inuyasha felt pain rush through his bloodstream by the word _lover_. Deep down he was so utterly jealous of this Isamu guy. He got to hold Chelsea. He got to be the one she always leaned on. It felt like she rarely ever leaned on Inuyasha.

"That fact, along with Chelsea powers being locked up tight within her, has probably caused her great fatigue and stress," Miroku said further.

Inuyasha stood up without another word. He started down the path toward Kaede's village.

"Where are you going?" cried Kagome, but there was no answer.

Chelsea was on her way down the path to meet up with her friends. She felt slightly better after her talk with Kaede, but the vision she had, feeling Inuyasha's lips, no matter how fiction they were, felt so true. She was lost in her daydreams when she spotted the real Inuyasha coming toward her. She smiled some, and waved to him.

He came toward her slowly, looking her over. She had been crying. He could smell the tears "Are you alright? You look terrible."

"_That's a great thing to hear,"_ thought Chelsea, "I'm much better now."

"Hey," Inuyasha started, and she listened, "I think you should go back to the present for a few days. Take some time to yourself. We're near the well, so it'll be easy to take you back."

"_Where the hell is this coming from?"_ wondered Chelsea, puzzled, "Why do you say that?"

"Why didn't you tell me you were still grieving?" asked Inuyasha, "You're exhausted inside and out. Go back to Kagome's and rest up. Clear your mind and come back after three days. I'll meet you back there when the sun is at its highest in the day," he started to turn and walk back to the others.

"You've got to be kidding me," barked Chelsea in irritation, "Dammit Inuyasha!"

Inuyasha froze. Why was she so angry all of the sudden? He heard never heard her so worked up before.

"I want to be around you. That's what makes me feel better. That's what's helping me heal!" she felt herself starting to break down again, "What? It gets too tough for you and you run away! Have I become that much of a nuisance?" she fell to her knees and cried; "Now you don't want me anymore?"

Inuyasha felt like he had been pierced by Kikyo's arrow once more, "You idiot!" he growled, "Of course I want you! I want you to feel better! You said my pain is yours once before right! So when you ache, I ache just as much!" he was yelling so loud, "Don't you get! All I'm doing is trying to care about you! You're not a damn nuisance! I wouldn't hang around with you if you were and you know that!"

Chelsea looked up at him, feeling sadness, even though it made her happy to hear he cared, "We've been fighting a lot lately… haven't we?" she murmured so lightly, only Inuyasha could have picked it up.

"What are you saying?" asked the half demon, confused.

Chelsea stood up, but wouldn't look at him.

Grabbing her arms in his hands he pulled her close so they'd look face to face, "We've been having a lot of disagreements lately," he admitted, "but it's because you're not being completely honest with me. If you want to cry, cry. I'd rather you cry on my shoulder than suffer all by yourself. You try to do it all alone, but I'm right here Chelsea. I just want you... to be honest with me."

Chelsea felt herself reliving that vision all over again, except there wasn't any flowers… no cool breeze, no babbling brook. No, there was only Inuyasha, and in that moment, she felt herself leaning into him. This would be it. This would be when she'd finally be completely honest with him… and with herself. She loved Inuyasha.

He noticed her leaning in. What was she doing? This had happened once before? When was it? That night of the new moon… was she about to kiss him? His eyes closed slowly, ready to welcome her, when suddenly they both heard the ringing of a bell…? A bicycle bell? They both turned to see Kagome coming up the path on her pink bike. The two pulled away from each other instantly as she approached, "Hey Inuyasha, you rushed off so quickly we were all worried."

Chelsea started down the path quietly on her own, feeling slightly guilty. Now was not the time to tell Inuyasha the truth, no matter how much she desired his touch, it would have to wait for when the moment was right… if fate should nod to her.

"Chelsea?" Kagome wondered.

Chelsea turned back to the two of them smiling, "I'm alright now. Kaede helped me feel better, so I'll be just fine. Can we please go?" she said turning forward and continuing to walk. She was so close… so close and then yet again, there was Kagome. Was there a purpose in her standing between them? Was it a sign not to press further with her feelings?

Kagome got on her bike and started off after her friend, "Hurry up Inuyasha!"

Inuyasha stayed put, watching Chelsea get smaller and smaller as she walked on. His heart was racing, but this wasn't the adrenaline he got from fighting. This was the feeling he felt… a burning sensation that swept up his senses… desire. She was right there. She was about to show him the most vulnerable side of her he'd ever be allowed to see, and then… reality stepped back in with the ding of a bell. In no time Inuyasha had caught up and was beside Chelsea once more. He was shooting her stares, but she wouldn't return the favor. The moment their eyes would meet, she knew she would regret not closing the gap between them before.

Instead, she bashfully, and as almost to say,_ "I'm sorry," _linked her pinky finger around his as they walked side by side. They were close, so Kagome seemed not to notice.

"_I love you, Inuyasha… I was just moments from telling you_," thought Chelsea, smiling, _"One day I'll tell you… pinky promise."_

Author's notes: I liked this. I like developing the relationship between these two. The pinky bit was spur of the moment, but I think it really pulled them together. I'm thinking perhaps (perhaps) having Chelsea have a run in with Sesshomaru soon. ;) We shall see. Please review and see ya at the next chapter! Thanks for reading!

"_We're so close,_

_To reaching that famous happy ending,_

_Almost believing this one's not pretend,_

_Let's go on dreaming for we know we are,_

_So close, _

_So close,_

_And still so far."_

_~So Close, Jon McLaughlin_


	14. Chapter 14: The Fever of Worry

The Bond of Silver and Gold

Chapter 14: The Fever of Worry

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of the original characters, plot, or storyline. I only own my fan-made character and her story.

When the group came to the first village on their list, the group seemed to immediately disperse into pairs. Miroku insisted he go chat it up with the locals to see if they had heard anything. Sango knew this really meant he was looking for an easy piece of children-baring forbidden fruit, so of course she followed him, as a means of "keeping him company" whether he liked it or not. Kagome wanted Chelsea and Inuyasha to spend more time together. She was actually starting to root for them, even though it still stung on the inside. In order for them to have some time together, Kagome snagged Shippo and was on her way.

Chelsea and Inuyasha stood in the middle of the bustling village together, watching people just walk on past as if they were nothing special. Chelsea smiled at Inuyasha, "So what do you think we should do?"

Inuyasha sighed heavily, "I dunno. This all seems like a big waste of time to me."

"Maybe the others just needed a break," Chelsea assumed they were all pretty worn out. After all she still was.

Inuyasha grimaced, "All we've been doing lately is lounging around. It's annoying."

"Come now, it's not so bad. It's a new experience; you should just try to make the most of it. It's nice not having to look over your shoulder constantly, ya know?" she said, giving him a hopeful grin.

He hated how she could always change his mind with a simple smile. A sweat drop spilled down his face, as he tried to look unenthused, "At the very least we can get some decent food around here. Come on, I smell something good," he said walking off to the left side of town.

Chelsea followed him, being watchful of their surroundings. When she spotted a couple perverts giving her the lustful eye, she immediately pulled closer to Inuyasha out of instinct. He felt her gently latch onto him and looked in the direction of the men, "Want me to do something about them?"

"No," murmured Chelsea, "just stay close to me."

Inuyasha had no problem with that, as the two walked side by side with her arm linked around his, "I already told ya," he started, "No one's gonna lay a hand on you while I'm around. So don't worry about it."

She squeezed his arm and blushed. Inuyasha was the only man she could be this close to. If it were possible she felt closer to him then she did even Isamu.

They approached a place that was selling smoked fish, fresh fruit, and whatever else you could think of that wasn't on the typical WacDonald's menu. Chelsea turned her nose to the fish, which Inuyasha would never understand. Every time they ate fish while out camping she refused to eat it. Instead she'd eat something she brought from home.

So the two walked together: Inuyasha gnawing his way through a fish-cabob, and Chelsea nibbling on an apple.

"You're never going to get full eating just that," Inuyasha said with his mouth full.

Chelsea knew it was true, but she was such a picky eater, "I don't care,"

"Why do you hate fish so much?" Inuyasha asked.

"Eh, had a bad experience as a kid… choked on a bone and have hated sea food ever since," she shrugged, taking a huge bite of her apple.

"Doofus, that's a stupid reason," the half-demon huffed. Out of the blue Inuyasha stopped walking and his attitude totally changed from relaxed to incredibly tense.

Chelsea turned to him, "What's wrong?"

Inuyasha let a growl escape his lips, "They've been following us for a while now," he was taking about the men from before, "You stay put, I'll be back," he instructed, eating the rest of his fish and walking off to find those bastards.

Chelsea sighed. She always seemed to cause a problem somehow. Instead of listening to Inuyasha, Chelsea did what she always did; the exact opposite. She wandered through town until she reached the woods, and decided to do some exploring. The way she saw it, Inuyasha would sniff her out eventually and be back by her side soon enough. As she walked, she swore she felt a presence coming closer. Hiding behind a tree, she listened for their footsteps; "Lord Sesshomaru!" called the voice of a child. A little girl out in the middle of nowhere?

"Lord Sesshomarrrrruu!" she called out again, as she walked.

Chelsea slowly came out in the open, hoping not to startle her. The little girl was simply adorable, and she was awestruck by Chelsea. She looked so different. Was she a demon? "Who are you?" the girl asked breathlessly.

"My name is Chelsea," Chelsea introduced, bending down in front of her, "What's your name?"

The little girl smiled. This girl did not seem mean at all, "Rin."

Chelsea returned the girl's precious smile, "Rin is a pretty name,"

"I've never heard yours before," said Rin surprised.

"I'm not from around here," smirked Chelsea, "You're looking for someone?"

Rin suddenly remembered, "Oh yeah! I went off looking for food and I guess I went too far and lost sight of Lord Sesshomaru."

"Lord Sesshomaru, huh?" thought Chelsea, _"Perhaps some prince at a castle or something? But where have I heard that name before?"_ Chelsea stood up, "Well you're in luck sweetheart," digging through her bag, Chelsea pulled out a poptart, "Uh, it's from my country, but I swear it's really good and sweet."

Rin was reluctant to eat it at first, but after the first bite she was hooked, "Delicious!" she had never tasted something like this before.

"Well that solves one problem," smiled Chelsea, "Now how about we find this Sesshomaru for you?" she said holding out her hand.

"You'll help me? Oh thank you so much," Rin didn't usually trust people, but she'd make an exception. She had a good judge of character and by the looks of it, this girl genuinely wanted to help her.

"_Forgive me Inuyasha,"_ thought Chelsea, _"but this girl, she needs help. And I'm not about to leave a child all alone with god knows what in this forest."_

As the two walked, Rin hummed to herself, munching on her artificially sweet strawberry treat, "This is really good. What did you call it?"

"It's a poptart," Chelsea laughed, "I'm glad you're enjoying it."

When the two made it into a clearing, Chelsea was happy to be out of the density of the forest. Now she could be more aware of their surroundings, but she knew she was traveling further and further from the village. She'd get an earful from Inuyasha the next time she saw him. She hoped he'd understand, but Inuyasha rarely did when it came to her decisions.

"Are you all alone?" Rin asked into the open air.

"Huh?" Chelsea said, focusing back on the girl, "No, my friends are at the nearby village, I was just taking a walk."

They both walked in silence, but Chelsea started to feel uneasy. There was an evil presence nearby. This could be really dangerous without her abilities. Once again she cursed herself for losing them. No matter what, she would protect this girl, "Rin," Chelsea murmured, "Get behind me."

Rin felt worry cloud over her as she stepped behind her newfound friend. As a demon appeared before them, it was an utter weakling at best, but Chelsea knew she was no opponent in her current state, yet she wasn't going to let that stop her, "I thought I sensed your ugly mug," Chelsea smirked.

"You've got quite the mouth for someone who's about to be devoured!" growled the demon.

Rin looked up at Chelsea, "Don't worry, my lord will save us!"

Chelsea realized this girl had a lot of faith in this Sesshomaru, but she wasn't exactly counting on a stranger to save their hides… or what was going to be left of them, "Rin, run. You can still escape."

"Don't move a muscle little girl, or I'll eat you first," insisted the demon.

"Hey ugly, you lay one finger on this girl and I'll slaughter you," Chelsea declared.

The demon felt a hardy laugh erupt from his throat, "Oh? I'd like to see you try it!" The demon came at her, ready to sever Chelsea's head from her shoulders and suck the delicious crimson from her corpse when the whiplash of a certain demon's poison claws tore the demon apart. Chelsea watched in utter amazement. Never feeling more gracious to be alive then right in that moment.

"Lord Sesshomaru!" cried Rin, overjoyed by his presence. She ran up to him and smiled her biggest smile.

Sesshomaru stared quietly at Rin, and then averted his hard gaze to the golden haired girl who stood before him. He had never seen a woman like this before, but she was still just a mere mortal, "Did you protect Rin?" he questioned.

"Why yes my lord!" beamed the bubbly child, "Chelsea is very nice! She gave me this strange food that was really delicious and protected me from demons! She helped me find you Lord Sesshomaru!"

A small green creature came barreling out of the forest, catching Chelsea completely off-guard, "My lord!" yelled Jaken, "Oh, you found Rin!" deep down he was furious. He despised that brat, always an inconvenience to his lord Sesshomaru.

"So you're Lord Sesshomaru," said Chelsea, _"he ain't bad to look at, that's for sure,"_ thought Chelsea.

"Who is the woman sire?" asked Jaken.

Sesshomaru stayed silent, still observing the girl, "Come on Rin, let's go," he finally muttered, walking off in another direction.

"_Definitely intimidating, not a man of many words either,"_ Chelsea thought, almost disappointed.

Chelsea saw Rin start to follow, giving her a wave and remembered something, "Rin!" called Chelsea, as she followed her. Little Rin paused to listen to her new friend. Sesshomaru stopped as well, but didn't turn to look at them, "Here," Chelsea held out another package of poptarts and patted her on the head, "Stay close to Sesshomaru okay? Don't wander off again."

Rin accepted the poptarts happily, "Thank you."

Chelsea nodded, "It was nice meeting you all," with that, she turned around and started back for the village.

"My lord, are you just going to let that mortal go?" asked Jaken.

"She doesn't concern me," muttered the dog demon, continuing his stride, "Come along Rin, don't get left behind."

"Yes my lord!" she replied, skipping behind him.

"Wait for me my lord!" cried Jaken, tripping over his own two feet.

As Chelsea ran back, she had hoped Inuyasha hadn't noticed her absence. Yeah right, as if she could be so lucky! With arms crossed and a look of utter irritation, Inuyasha dropped down from the trees and landed right in front of the guilty girl. He startled her causing her to fall back in the grass. Looking down at her angrily, he waited for an explanation.

"Now hold on a second," Chelsea said holding up her index finger and standing back up again, "I have good reason for running off."

"Oh I can't wait to hear this," Inuyasha bellowed, rolling his eyes.

"A little girl was lost so I helped her find her companions again," Chelsea replied.

Inuyasha's irritation grew, "You expect me to believe that?"

"Yes, 'cause it's true!" Chelsea growled, "She was looking for some Sesshomaru person."

Inuyasha's heart came to a crashing hault and started beating backwards. Rushing toward her he grabbed onto her and started looking desperately about her, "Did he hurt you? Tell me what happened! Right now!"

"No, he didn't lay a finger on me," Chelsea pulled away from him, "In fact, if it wasn't for him I'd have been killed…"

"What?" Inuyasha snapped.

"Uh," Chelsea felt sweat slide down her neck, "I mean, I was totally safe the entire time."

"Too late to take it back now," Inuyasha said, crossing his arms, "You can't just run off whenever you want to!"

"I can do as I please Inuyasha," argued Chelsea.

"Sesshomaru is dangerous. He hates humans, and he wouldn't hesitate to kill you!" Inuyasha was getting himself worked up.

"How would you know? The girl who was traveling with him was human!" Chelsea urged.

Inuyasha turned away, "He's my brother," this stunned Chelsea. So that's where she heard the name before. Kagome had mentioned Sesshomaru once. She said the brothers loathed one another, "I don't know about the girl you're talking about, but stay away from him, ya got that?"

"Yeah, yeah," sighed Chelsea.

"Now why don't I believe you?" huffed the half demon.

Chelsea shrugged, "You never do," she said walking passed him.

"Hey!" he roared, "I'm not done chewing you out yet! You got a lot of nerve making me worry about you! It's almost nightfall!"

"Nightfall? I was only gone for a little whi—" Chelsea came to a clearing and saw the sun going down. You mean she spent the whole quiet day she could have had, helping a little girl and being almost eaten instead?

Inuyasha walked up beside her, "Are you sure you're alright?" he murmured.

Chelsea looked at him, "Not a scratch on me," she promised.

The two met up with the rest of the gang at an inn. The village had a very prestigious inn, which had big tatami rooms and hot spring baths. The boys had a room and the girls had a room. Outside was a garden of sorts with a high fence running through it so each individual gender could take a soothing soak without being spied on by the other. How did they manage to afford it? Well, Miroku worked his magic on exorcising the place, and as a token of the owner's appreciation, the group got the best rooms the inn could offer.

"It's hard to believe he's a monk sometimes," sighed Chelsea.

"You said it," agreed Shippo.

Kagome was looking forward to the bath the most, "Sango, Chelsea, why don't we all go together?" she asked, "Shippo, you can come along too if you want."

Miroku couldn't believe how lucky the fox child was. He always got to bathe with the girls. Meanwhile, he was stuck with only Inuyasha as a bathing companion. That was far from fun. Both boys sat on either side of the tub, not speaking a word. Miroku was way too caught up in trying to eavesdrop on the conversation going on, on the other side of the fence. How he wished he had Inuyasha's sense of hearing in that moment, "Inuyasha, what are they talking about?"

Inuyasha had tuned everything out, "Beats me."

"Aren't you even the least bit curious?" Miroku wondered.

"I could care less," snubbed the half demon, his cheeks growing rosy from the steam.

The girls went about discussing their day, "Chelsea, I heard you gave Inuyasha quite the scare today," Kagome commented.

"Huh?" Chelsea replied.

"Shippo and I saw him in the village alone. He looked really upset. When we asked what was up he said he turned his back for one minute and then you were gone," Kagome explained.

"He thought some bandit guys might have gotten ahold of you," Shippo added.

"Really? But that's strange. Couldn't he have just picked up my scent?" asked Chelsea.

"I imagine the village had many smells," thought Kagome, "not to mention you guys had walked a lot so I'm sure your smell was a little bit everywhere."

"He looked pretty panicked to me, even if he was trying to act composed," said Shippo.

"Come to think of it, Miroku and I saw Inuyasha too," commented Sango, "He did seem worried."

Chelsea explained her whole situation. How she couldn't have left little Rin behind, and how she had gotten acquainted to Sesshomaru, Inuyasha's older half-brother. This surprised Kagome, "You did the right thing, but you've gotta be more careful," she tilted her head, "I know you don't wanna hear it, but you're just a mortal right now, and we'll all start getting worried if you go missing like that. I imagine you nearly gave poor Inuyasha a heart attack. You mean everything to him, ya know?"

"Kagome…" murmured Chelsea, as guilt washed over her, "I'm sorry, I'll be more careful."

"I don't think I'm the one you need to be apologizing to. You got him pretty worked up," Kagome said, offering the girl a smile.

Getting out of the giant tub, Chelsea put on a robe, and flipped her hair out of the collar, "I don't want to stay in too long. My body is really sensitive and I'm liable to pass out if I do."

Miroku was staring at the fence. Why couldn't he be over there where things were more exciting? Looking toward Inuyasha, the half-demon seemed to have disappeared… wait a minute… "Inuyasha!" yelled the monk.

The girls were startled by how frantic the monk was calling out to his friend. Chelsea ran into the room, opened up the wall that separated the two rooms and ran over into the boys' side of the fence. Thank goodness Miroku had a robe on, but Inuyasha… Inuyasha was lying unconscious with a towel laid over his bottom half. His face was a deep red. Chelsea was thrown into a panic, kneeling down beside him, "He passed out in the water I think," explained Miroku, "I looked over and he was under!"

Kagome and the others were now behind Chelsea, all dressed in their robes. Kagome was so worried hearing the news. What could they do! She would never suspect something like this to happen to Inuyasha, and yet earlier today… he did seem really tired.

Chelsea started nervously fidgeting. She had to act fast. Pulling Inuyasha's head back, pinching his nose and breathing air into his mouth, she couldn't believe the first time their lips touched she'd be trying to save his life instead of having a moment of intimacy! She pushed on his stomach to force the water out and repeated the process again. She was trying her damndest to make him awaken. Suddenly, he choked up the water that had swelled inside him. His eyes flickered open weakly, "Chelsea? Ugh," he coughed.

"Don't speak; your throat is raw from choking. Just try to steady your breathing," Chelsea instructed, propping up his head.

The others were amazed by Chelsea's quick actions. She breathed life into Inuyasha. Kagome knew that Chelsea would have done it all night if she had to, to bring Inuyasha back into consciousness.

As they all gathered around in the girls room to eat, Inuyasha was alone in the boys' room resting off the experience. Chelsea couldn't eat; she just stared at her food quietly.

"I think he's sick," Kagome murmured, "I've noticed these past couple days, he hasn't seemed 100% like usual. I guess he's been really stressed."

"And being hard-headed like he is, he tried his best to make sure it was overlooked as to not cause any of us an inconvenience," Miroku added.

A waitress of sorts walked in smiling, "Can I get anyone anything?"

"Could I have some of the broth from the soup you're serving? Just the broth please," requested Chelsea.

"Sure," nodded the waitress, leaving the room.

"What are you doing?" asked Kagome curiously.

"He has to eat something," Chelsea said, standing up, "besides I can't eat anyway, I'm too worried about him," when the waitress returned with a bowl and a spoon, Chelsea made her way to the boys' room where Inuyasha was.

"Hmm," Kagome took a bite of her food.

"Are you alright Kagome?" asked Sango.

"Yes, I'm fine," she paused, "I was just thinking of how much Chelsea truly loves Inuyasha," she smiled. This threw everyone for a loop. She was smiling about this? "They're so close you know? I'm to the point where I wish they'd just admit how much they really care about each other."

"Kagome," Sango murmured.

"Are you okay with that?" Miroku asked.

"I wasn't at first, but seeing how dedicated they are to each other, it doesn't anymore," Kagome explained, "I just want someone who will give Inuyasha all the love in the world. Chelsea is willing to do even more than that. That's all I care about."

Chelsea came into the room, listening to the tapping of rain hit the roof. It had just started raining a few minutes ago. Coming up to Inuyasha, he was leaned against the wall, like how he always slept, with Tetsusaiga lying beside him on the floor. He seemed out cold. Chelsea brushed his bangs back gently. Kissing him on the forehead gently, she moved her lips to the rim of his left ear and whispered his name.

His ear twitched, and his eyes slowly opened, but he said nothing.

"I'm going to feed you okay?" asked Chelsea, "You need to get better. We're all worried about you. Now open your mouth," she said spooning at the soup broth in the bowl.

"What—" Inuyasha's voice cracked and he cleared his throat. It was still throbbing from choking earlier, "What happened to me?" he finally whispered.

"Open your mouth for a bite, and then I'll tell you," she smiled at him mischievously.

"Feh," he grumbled weakly, "I don't need to eat."

"Come on," Chelsea urged, "humor me… I'm worried too you know," Inuyasha's eyes narrowed, as he slowly, and just barely, parted his lips. It was just big enough for Chelsea to slide the spoon into his mouth, "It's just broth, so you don't have to chew. Just swallow. And take your time," she instructed, her voice tender and smooth, "You passed out in the hot spring bath. Luckily Miroku pulled you out, but apparently you were under for a couple minutes prior."

Inuyasha didn't remember that. He remembered being in the bath, sitting there, feeling dizzy. Trying to talk himself into getting up and leaving the bath, but before he could get his body to move, all went blank. The next thing he knew, he was looking up hazily at Chelsea. Before… was that her lips against his? He opened his mouth again reluctantly, taking in a sip, and swallowing, "Did you…" he murmured, clearing his throat, "Did you save me?" he was trying to fit together the pieces.

"I had to give you mouth to mouth resuscitation in order to get the water out of you. I was just guessing, but I guess it did the trick," she tried to make light of it, even though it did feel nice to have her lips against his.

"_Mouth to mouth?"_ Inuyasha thought, letting the warmth of the next bite trickle down his throat. The two sat quietly. Chelsea feeding Inuyasha, Inuyasha accepting it, whether he wanted to or not. If he had the energy he'd do it himself, but he felt so numb. Both were puzzled over the same thing, for different reasons.

Chelsea finally broke the silence, "I heard you were worrying yourself over me," she sat the bowl aside, as it was now empty and placed the spoon inside it, "I understand why, and I'm really sorry. I won't do it again."

Inuyasha managed a dry chuckle, "Don't say that," he looked deeply into her eyes, "You know you will," he looked away, "And then I'll be worried again," did he actually admit that aloud? "But you'll continue to do it… put others before your own safety. That's who you are. Who you've always been…"

Chelsea sighed, "But in the process I made you sick."

"Heh," Inuyasha laughed, his eyes returning to hers, "Everyone gets ill once and while. Even me. It's nothing. All I need is rest and I'll be over it."

"I was so worried… I didn't know if you'd start breathing again…" murmured Chelsea.

"Stupid," he growled weakly, "you know me better than that."

"You're right," Chelsea smiled, "You wouldn't leave me over something like that."

"I'll never leave you," Inuyasha admitted, "not unless you want me to…"

Chelsea was touched. Why was he saying things like that? It was unlike him. It must be the exhaustion. He was loopy or something. Touching her cheek to his forehead, he felt himself grow warm as he was face to face with her chest, "You're still burning up," she whispered, pulling away. Standing up, she grabbed the bowl, "I'll be right back."

"Where are you going?" Inuyasha moaned, agitated she was leaving so abruptly.

"I'll be right back," she repeated. A few minutes later she returned with another bowl, filled with some cold water, and a wash cloth. Ringing out the cloth she folded it up and started dabbing his face with it. The touch of it gave Inuyasha the chills, "I'm sorry, but I want to bring your fever down."

"What time is it?" he whispered, "Shouldn't you go to sleep?"

"I'll stay up all night if I have to, to make sure you get better," Chelsea said rinsing out the cloth and dabbing his face some more. He opened his eyes and stared at her, "What?" she asked.

"You're not doing that," he growled, "If you go a night without sleep, then you'll wind up useless tomorrow. Go get some sleep. I'll be fine."

Chelsea felt herself longing to stay beside him, "I don't want to leave you."

Inuyasha stretched out his legs and pulled her onto him. She was caught completely off-guard by this and was incredibly red, "Then sleep here," he commanded, drily.

"Is that okay?" Chelsea wondered.

"Why wouldn't it be?" he asked.

"Well," she really didn't have an answer.

"If it makes you uncomfortable you can go lay with the girls," He said, turning his head away from her. That's when she noticed in the darkness just how red his face was.

She nuzzled her nose against his cheek, causing him to get really shy, "Nah, you owe me anyway," she teased, "I let you sleep on me that one night, so now you can return the favor," she sat sideways on his lap and rested her head against his chest.

He wrapped his arms around her gently, as if to cradle her, and let his chin rest against the top of her head. He fell asleep almost instantly. Feeling exhaustion take over, he dreamt of the scent of white peaches and silk blossom.

Miroku quietly came into the room and found the two snuggled together. He was surprised by this, and a little envious. He figured Inuyasha could get away with anything when it came to Chelsea, and with her body... _"Geez, what a lucky dog_…" he thought, resting on the other side of the room, falling asleep a few moments later.

Author's Notes: So I made a cameo appearance of Sesshomaru and then decided to let it be known just how much Inuyasha was starting to stress about Chels. He really cares for her, and I was happy to write this, letting them get close and feel comfortable with one another. Up next I'm thinking… haunted palace perhaps? ;) Please review guys! I love your feedback. Thanks for reading and I'll see ya at the next chapter!

"_Oh girl, you stand by me._

_I'm forever yours,_

_Faithfully."_

_~Faithfully, Journey_


	15. Chapter 15: Eternal Love

The Bond of Silver and Gold

Chapter 15: Eternal Love

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of the original characters, plot, or storyline. I only own my fan-made character and her story.

_A cold winter breeze… the warmth of her breath…_

_The world was blanketed in its purest tears…_

_The coldest day of the year was supposed to be our warmest…._

_Her cold breath… the winter was the burning sun in comparison…_

_The sun set… on that day…_

_I pulled the world's purest blanket over top of me…_

_I drowned in its tears…_

"_Chiharu…"_

The team had little luck at their first stop. All they got was a nice room, a hot meal, a relaxing bath, and an exhausted Inuyasha. Luckily, Inuyasha recovered quickly from his minor sickness and was back to his fiery, arrogant self again. Chelsea was getting worried about his loopy side anyway.

Their next stop, however, would prove to be much more eventful.

"Woah," breathed Chelsea, amazed by how big and bustling this place was.

"It's a palace village. The village is surrounded by thick walls, and in the center is a giant palace where a ruler lives," explained Kagome, "but I swear I sense a jewel shard somewhere in this village."

"Might as well collect the jewel shard," grinned Inuyasha, "Should do something useful for a change."

"Huh?" Kagome seemed suddenly surprised.

"What's up Kagome?" asked Chelsea.

"I sense two more jewel shards… and they're approaching really fast!" before Kagome could even get the words out a tornado went flying in front of the group and a cocky wolf appeared before her.

"Hello Kagome," smiled Koga.

"Hi Koga," replied Kagome, returning his happy expression.

"_Any minute now the mutt will step in,"_ thought Koga, letting his eyes wander to Inuyasha, who simply had his arms crossed, glaring at the wolf, "I came to see you," he said taking Kagome's hand.

Inuyasha rolled his eyes, "You came here knowing a jewel shard was nearby."

"Shut up mutt," muttered Koga, "I have to check up on Kagome and make sure you're taking care of her."

Inuyasha turned away, but didn't have a retort.

"_What's with him? He sure ain't feisty like usual,"_ thought Koga, confused.

"Koga, have you heard anything about Naraku?" asked Kagome.

"Huh?" asked the wolf, "Not anything new really. Just that he up and disappeared after a fight. Apparently, whoever he fought with banged him up real good. I'd love to shake the guy's hand that bruised him," he grinned at the thought of Naraku wallowing in pain.

Kagome grabbed Chelsea, and held her hand out to Koga.

"Wha-?" Koga was stunned, "You mean to tell me…" he paused, and looked over at Inuyasha, "You let some female mortal take a shot at Naraku and _she_ did a better job than you! You idiot!"

Inuyasha was furious now, "Shut up you mangy wolf!"

Miroku sighed, "It's always like this,"

Sango thought about it, "Actually, it's completely different."

"How do you figure?" asked Miroku.

"Inuyasha didn't even try to intervene when Koga started to flirt with Kagome…" she murmured in reply.

"You're right…" whispered Miroku.

"Don't you think we should go learn more about this village?" asked Chelsea, speaking over Inuyasha and Koga's hollow threats.

"Indeed," nodded Miroku, happy that even Chelsea was irritated by the way these two acted like children.

When Inuyasha turned around, all of his friends were walking off, "Hey! Don't leave me here! Some friends you are!"

Kagome spotted an old merchant selling jewelry. It always seemed to her that the oldest people in the villages like Kaede seemed to be the most helpful. The group approached the man's table and Kagome was immediately distracted by the beautiful jewelry this man had to offer, "Wow, I've never seen a stone like this before," she picked up an extravagant necklace. All the pieces had the same type of gem within them.

Chelsea stared at the necklace in Kagome's hands, "It looks like a white opal,"

"The gem is referred to as Lady Chiharu's tears, for their white, smooth luster," explained the old man.

"Chiharu?" asked Kagome.

"Yes," he smiled, "Some fifty years ago, our palace had been celebrating the arrival of a marriage proposal. Lady Chiharu was beautiful in every way. Her skin was pale to perfection, so pure; her hair the blackest of ebony, but what was most enchanting about her, was her unique eye color; the color of jaded green."

"Sounds like a beautiful woman," commented Miroku.

"Yes," replied the merchant, "and she was well aware of her beauty. She refused to accept a marriage proposal for going on three years, but was always very attached to one of her laborers who served her in the castle. For such poverty he was a strapping young fellow with a scholar's heart. His name was Iwao, and they fell deeply in love with one another. When he finally got up the nerve to ask for her hand, she in turn agreed."

"That's so romantic," smiled Kagome.

Inuyasha grumbled, "Heh, please."

"But romance took a tragic turn when the lady was struck with illness, and perished on the day of her wedding set in winter. Iwao was heartbroken… they found the poor young man lying face first in the courtyard of the palace, buried in the snow. They say it was the snow that killed him, but heartbreak was the ultimate cause," with that the merchant concluded his story.

Kagome stared at the piece of jewelry, and placed it back down on the table, "That's so sad."

"Since then, no one has been able to run this little village. Whenever someone tries to go into the palace, they are swallowed up by the curse and disappear forever," the merchant explained.

"Curse?" asked Chelsea.

"Yes, it is rumored that Iwao's spirit still walks the halls of the palace in search for his lady. Sometimes, not even death can pull you away from your love," said the merchant.

The group all found a quiet spot under a shady tree to have a picnic and discuss their next move. Kagome prepared another meal so Koga could join them.

"What should we do?" asked Sango.

"I'm unsure," sighed Miroku, taking a bite of his meal.

Chelsea looked over at Kagome, "You still thinking about the old man's story too?"

"Yeah," nodded Kagome, "I bet the sacred jewel shard is somewhere in that palace, but it sounds risky."

"Risky?" laughed Inuyasha, "it's just some crusty old ghost. Who cares?"

Chelsea and Kagome frowned in unison, "Don't say that," said Chelsea.

"The man lost his bride to be," Kagome said with sadness in her tone, "don't be so insensitive."

Koga had ate his meal down extra quickly, "Whelp Kagome, if you think the jewel shard is somewhere in that palace, then I'm not wasting any more time," he took her hand in his, "thank you for the meal."

"Don't mention it Koga," smiled Kagome awkwardly.

"As if you're going to get the jewel shard you mangy wolf," declared Inuyasha, standing up.

"Let's all go," Chelsea said, "there's strength in numbers."

Koga went on ahead, as the others followed behind, "You think we should split up?" asked Miroku into the open air, "we can cover more ground that way. We'll split into pairs, search the place and meet back somewhere."

"I like that plan," Chelsea said, riding on Inuyasha's back. She felt guilty for taking Kagome's place, but Kagome had her bike and since Chelsea couldn't fly presently, this was the only way she could really keep up.

Koga dropped back hearing the group exchanging words, "Hey Kagome, want to come with me?" he was hoping she'd help him spot the jewel.

Kagome thought about it. Inuyasha would most likely want to be with Chelsea, "Sure," she accepted, "Me, you and Shippo will be a team."

Shippo was on Kagome's shoulder, "What? You mean I have to go to?"

"Sango and I will take the west corridor," explained Miroku, "Koga, Kagome, and Shippo, take the south corridor, it's the furthest, but Koga will have no problem getting there without delay. Inuyasha and Chelsea, take east so that way we can all meet back up at the front entrance to the north."

"Got it," Inuyasha nodded, having no complaints about the plan. He raced off, poor Chelsea bobbing up and down on his back.

"Kagome, ditch the cart," Koga instructed, "I'll carry you."

Kagome stopped pedaling and hid her bike somewhere next to a nearby tree. She hoped it would remain safe here, outside of the palace. In no time Koga was sweeping her up and they were on their way.

As Miroku figured, Koga and Kagome were the first to enter the building shaped most accurately described like a cross with a giant rectangle smack dab in the middle. Once inside, Koga let Kagome down and they walked silently down the hall, their footsteps echoing in the darkness. Shippo decided to use his fox fire to light up the area, allowing them to see much better.

"Thanks Shippo," smiled Kagome.

As they walked, Koga couldn't help but ask, "So what's up with the mutt?"

Kagome looked at him, "What do you mean?"

"He wasn't really acting like the idiot I'm used to," Koga said, his tone shifting with confusion.

"Oh," Kagome noticed he didn't seem to put up a fight whatsoever when Koga showed up. It was really starting to hit her; the impact Chelsea had made on all of their lives, and yet in a way… "Chelsea has really helped him mature I think."

"Inuyasha mature?" wondered Koga, "That girl must really be something… first she pounds Naraku and now mutt face doesn't act so much like a fool because of her?"

Kagome smiled to herself, "Honestly, I've never seen Inuyasha act more grown up. He really, really cares for her. They're incredibly close,"

Koga started to see where this was going, "How are you handling it?"

Kagome thought her response through, "Indifferent," she answered, "While it hurts I know I can't possibly match up to her… I'm honestly very happy to see the two of them so happy you know? They both share the fact that they both lost someone they were really in love with. They stand out in a crowd, have bad tempers, and are extremely introverted… but at the end of the day… they both… really love each other."

Koga couldn't believe Kagome, "You really think they love each other?"

"Oh, that's to be sure. Chelsea already admitted it to me once, though she's trying to deny it now," that was really the only thing Kagome was angry at Chelsea about. Why couldn't she just be honest? The cards had already been dealt and Kagome knew Chelsea's hand.

"And Inuyasha?" asked Koga.

"I have a feeling… if Chelsea doesn't fess up, he will…" Kagome really believe that. Inuyasha seemed to be so attached to her, that if admitting how he felt was the only way he could keep her, he wouldn't hesitate. He already told her he needed her in his life. For Inuyasha to admit that was a huge step for him.

Koga felt for her, but at the same time, now nothing really stood in his way if Inuyasha was out of the picture. He wouldn't press the idea for now, however, "Well Kagome, just know if you ever want to talk to just yell for me. I'll come to you at a moment's notice."

Kagome genuinely smiled for the first time in a while, "Thank you, Koga."

As Sango and Miroku walked side by side, it was becoming increasingly creepier by the moment. They checked the rooms as they went, but no sign of ghosts or ghouls to be found. That's when Sango ran into a rather interesting room, "Huh?" she murmured.

"What's the matter?" asked Miroku.

"Come look at this painting," she replied, staring at the artwork on the wall.

Miroku was taken aback by the beautiful woman who was painted to perfection in this piece of artwork, "To my darling Chiharu: Our love is eternal, like time and space, never-ending, but always something new to be discovered. – Iwao"

"He was very gifted," Sango complimented, still stunned by its elegance.

"And she was very beautiful," agreed Miroku.

Inuyasha was walking slightly ahead of Chelsea. He was very tense. He didn't exactly enjoy the idea of her coming along with the group, but he knew better than to tell her to sit this one out. He'd never hear the end of it if he did, or she'd just flat out give him the silent treatment for the next few days.

Chelsea had a little investigation of her own to explore, "So you seem on better terms with Koga."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes, "I don't care about that mangy wolf."

"You didn't seem to mind it so much when he was flirting with Kagome," she commented.

He shrugged it off, "What he does is his business."

"And Kagome?" she asked.

He finally turned around and faced her, causing them to stop walking, "What are you getting at Chelsea?"

"Nothing," she replied.

"Then shut up, and focus on what's important," he commanded, turning forward and starting off again. As he walked he sort of felt guilty for what he said just now. Not just because of how he told her to let it go, but because essentially, he called Kagome unimportant, which wasn't true. Kagome was important, but somehow, things were different between them, and he hadn't really stopped to notice it. Caught in his thoughts he heard a muffled scream come from behind him. He turned around cautiously and saw Chelsea being pulled into the wall by giant hands!

"Chelsea!" he yelled, reaching for her outstretched hand. When she disappeared into the wall, he slammed his fist against it, "dammit!" he cursed, "Iron Reaver Soul Stealer!" he swiped at the wall furiously, "Alright," he growled, unsheathing the Tetsusaiga, "Wind Scar!" the blast didn't even make a dent. Inuyasha tried the Wind Scar a couple more times, and got so desperate he just started swinging the sword violently, thrashing it against the old wood, but nothing! It was like the walls were completely impenetrable and yet they were dank and aged. What the hell was going on? And where was Chelsea!

Kagome and Koga were now exploring their assigned corridor in great detail. Kagome had stumbled upon Iwao's room, and found many love letters exchanged between the couple on his desk. Inside the first drawer though, she paused to find something that really tugged at her heart. It seemed to her that this was the final poem Iwao ever wrote. She recited it aloud for Koga to hear.

"A cold winter breeze… the warmth of her breath…

The world was blanketed in its purest tears…

The coldest day of the year was supposed to be our warmest….

Her cold breath… the winter was the burning sun in comparison…

The sun set… on that day…

I pulled the world's purest blanket over top of me…

I drowned in its tears…"

"Wow, guess the old man back at the village was telling the truth," Koga murmured.

"I feel for him," Kagome whispered, "he seemed to have truly loved her."

Chelsea regained consciousness inside an empty room. She was lying on the wooden floor, feeling dizzy and confused. What had happened? Where was Inuyasha? She remembered feeling very cold, and then in an instant she was being pulled away. She pulled herself to her feet and looked around. Why was this room completely empty? "Inuyasha?" she called, but no answer.

"Are you alright?" came a voice, gentle and kind.

Chelsea turned her head to see a young, dashing fellow with such a sweet gaze, "Uh, hello?"

He smiled, as if they were longtime friends, "I hope you don't find me rude, but you are very beautiful."

"Um," she was surprised by this, "Did you get lost in the castle?"

He lightly laughed at her question, "No my dear, but I have seemed to misplace myself in your lovely eyes," He spoke like a poet. Every line a work of Shakespeare, "Are _you_ lost?"

"You could say that," she replied. Strange, was he a lingering spirit in the castle? "I'm looking for someone…"

He came closer to her, "Than how about we walk together. We're sure to find your companion eventually,"

She thought this through, it could be a trap. Yet when she looked into this man's eyes she saw no hostility, no hunger of evil, but instead sadness, "I would like that," she nodded politely.

Sango and Miroku had done a thorough run through of their section and were running out of places to search. All leads were dead ends, but Miroku did catch onto something that was most odd, "Sango… am I seeing things?"

Sango glanced out the window Miroku was motioning toward. Outside, snow was falling. By now possibly three feet had fallen and yet… it was nearly just the end of summer, "What is going on around here?" asked Sango.

"I don't know, but we need to meet up with Inuyasha and the others, quickly!" Miroku said.

Chelsea and the young gentleman walked side by side. He didn't say much for the longest time, but they were on their way to the main housing room of the palace, "I imagine in its prime, this place was beautiful."

"Yes," nodded the man, "it was such a peaceful place."

Chelsea thought about it, "I may be prying, but… is your name Iwao?"

The boy looked at her stunned, "So you do remember," he sounded so relieved, "We were supposed to get married on this day… the weather was crisp and the snow had fallen, yes, I couldn't wait for that day. Don't you see Chikaru? Fate has given us another chance," he took her hands in his; "I love you, and now that you've finally returned to me, please love, let's get married. At first I was so worried you had forgotten me after all these years, but I patiently waited and now…" tears filled his eyes, "here you are."

The double doors in front of them swung open and it was almost like the room pulled them in. When Chelsea looked down, she was dressed in a white, fancy bridal kimono with intricate designs, "Wait, Iwao!" she cried, "I'm not Chiharu!"

"So your memory hasn't been fully restored yet, but don't worry, it'll all come back to you soon," Iwao smiled.

The room was decorated for a wedding, but the room was empty. No one was watching, but there was a go between front and center, ready to start the vows. What in the world had Chelsea gotten herself into this time?

As Sango and Miroku ran as fast as they could, they managed to run into Kagome, Koga, and Shippo, "There you guys are," smiled Kagome, "Have you seen Inuyasha and Chelsea?"

"We had hoped you had seen them," Sango replied.

"You think they're okay?" asked Shippo worried.

"Chelsea and Inuyasha work well together. I'm sure they're both fine," Miroku smiled.

The moment Inuyasha turned the corner and saw the rest of his friends, he bolted toward them, "Hey!" he yelled.

All their hearts dropped. Where was Chelsea?

"Have you guys seen Chelsea? Something pulled her into the wall and I haven't been able to find her!" Inuyasha was shaking with all the emotions that he was feeling right then, "I tried everything… even the Wind Scar didn't have any effect on the wall!"

Hearing this, Miroku had a feeling he knew what was going on around here, "This place is stuck in a time lapse," he started to explain, "Because this place is cursed with the memory of Lady Chiharu's death, when you enter this building, you are stuck in the lapse."

"Miroku and I saw snow falling outside, and it just kept coming down," Sango explained.

Kagome gasped, "Chelsea and Chiharu! They both have green eyes!"

"If that's true, than that means the one responsible for her disappearance is Iwao," Miroku sighed.

Out of the open air, came the sound of gentle Japanese instruments, beckoning that a wedding was about to occur. Kagome recognized it immediately, "We have to find them!"

The group ran together, falling the music, "If my theory is correct, than Iwao thinks Chelsea is Chiharu. If he tries to marry Chelsea, and succeeds, she will become the new Chiharu and they both will be cast from this world!" Miroku explained, feeling breathless.

Busting into the wedding chambers, the music stopped and Iwao was already reciting his vows. Chelsea seemed to be under some sort of spell. She was dazed, "I will take thee Chiharu, for life, for death, not time nor space could ever keep us apart. My beloved Chiharu…"

"Oh no, it's starting!" Kagome cried.

"Look at Chelsea's face. It's so pale!" yelled Shippo.

"They cannot say I do, if they do, Chelsea will be gone forever, and Chiharu will possess her body!" Miroku said, speaking rapid fire.

"It's not gonna happen!" shouted Inuyasha running toward the two, but being held back by some unseen force, "Iwao! I know you can hear me in there!" he barked, "Give Chelsea back! She's not your property! Give her back!"

At the sound of Inuyasha's voice, Chelsea seemed to start to come out of her trance, "I-Inuyasha..?" she murmured.

"Chiharu, what's the matter?" asked Iwao.

"You know damn well what the matter is! That isn't Chiharu!" growled Inuyasha, "Chelsea, fight it! I'm right here! I'll never leave you!"

Chelsea's eyes seemed to have their life returning to them, "Inuyasha!" she shouted.

Iwao glared at the slight interruption. Without even blinking, the spirit slammed Inuyasha back against the wall and held him there, "Let us return to our ceremony, Chiharu." He said kindly.

Chelsea felt tortured, watching Inuyasha twist and turn in agony. Feeling tears escape her eyes, she didn't even notice their arrival. They were just a natural reaction. She looked to Iwao, and slowly grasped him in an embrace, "Iwao! Iwao listen to me!" she sobbed, "Chiharu died many years ago. She died on this day and that very same day, you died as well, but the moment you heard she was gone you died before your heart ever stopped beating right?" the tears flowed down her cheeks, "You wanted so badly to have her back, but you couldn't so you let yourself be buried in the snow, hoping death would take you to her, but instead your heart couldn't move past the fact that she died here, and you've been locked up and alone here ever since, haven't you?"

Iwao's eyes grew with surprise.

"But you see, this whole time you've been waiting for Chiharu to return to you, Chiharu's been waiting for you as well!" Chelsea cried into the man's chest, "She loves you still, you said so yourself that not time or space could ever pull you apart! That's true love Iwao! She's been waiting all this time. Forgive yourself for not being able to stop her death, and be with her now!" she whimpered, "You're such a good man Iwao, I can see it in your eyes… you're so lonely… but you don't have to be anymore."

Iwao started to cry. Everything the girl said was true, he just needed to hear someone say it, and to mean it with all of their heart. His body started to glow radiantly, as Inuyasha slid down to the floor, "Thank you…" the silhouette of Chiharu appeared behind him as he floated up into the air, "I can finally be with her once more… I will never forget you," like that, the eternal lovers disappeared, and a new found warmth embraced the room.

Chelsea was on her knees, her eyes red from crying so hard. She ran, tripping over the bridal kimono that still was on her body, "Inuyasha!" she bent down in front of him and the kimono disappeared, revealing her regular attire of blue jean shorts and a tank top, "Inuyasha," she took his face in her hands, "Are you alright?"

"I knew you could do it," he murmured, looking into her eyes.

She held him tightly, squeezing as tight as she could. It felt so nice to hold him again, "You're alright."

"Of course I am… dummy," he said, running his left hand down through her hair and pulling her in close, _"Thank goodness… you're safe,"_ he thought.

The jewel shard shone brightly in the floorboard in the center of the room, "Found it," said Kagome, plucking the shard from the floor.

"You guys sure go through some crazy misadventures," said Koga, baffled by the whole experience, "so who gets the jewel shard?"

"I think Chelsea deserves it," said Kagome.

"You keep it Kagome," replied Chelsea, "I have all of you guys… safe and sound. That's all I need," she smiled, squeezing Inuyasha's hand.

The snow had all dissipated with the memory of Chiharu and Iwao. All it was, was an illusion of memory. They two were together at last and the gang decided it was best to be on their way. The sun was going down, and it was time for Koga to be on his way, "Remember what I said," he told Kagome, giving her hand a squeeze.

"Thank you, Koga," she smiled.

The gang had set up camp in the woods near the village, "Still no sign of Naraku," said Miroku.

"Yes, but I don't think our time was wasted," grinned Sango, readying herself for bed.

Chelsea stared up at the starry sky, trying to find the two stars that were now occupied by Chiharu and Iwao, _"Together at last,"_ she thought.

Inuyasha sat down beside her quietly, trying to figure out how he was going to put his next sentence.

"It's really beautiful… what they had, wouldn't you say?" she asked him.

"Look," he bellowed, "I'm not the type to usually do this! So don't expect it, but… I…" he choked on the words, "I'm sorry for telling you to shut up today…" he turned his gaze away from her and blushed, "I couldn't help, but worry it would be the last thing I ever got to say to you… and it was still bothering me… but don't think—!"

She cuddled up close beside him and rested her head against his shoulder, "You don't need to apologize. I'm just happy… being right here with you."

He slightly rested his head against hers, feeling such warmth inside him. Was he really… starting to love her? He didn't know… but having her here, having the stars looking down on them and feeling her warmth… he felt happy. He couldn't remember a time when something so simple, made him this genuinely joyful.

Author's notes: Boo my slow updating =_= and it doesn't stop here cause I have to work all weekend! T.T I'm sorry for the slow updates, but I hope you're still hanging with me and enjoying the reading. Please review you guys. Hearing your wonderful positive feedback gives me something to smile about. Thank you so so much for reading and I'll see you at the next chapter. =]

"_Forget the urgency,_

_But hurry up and wait._

_My heart is starting to separate._

_Oh, oh, be my baby, oh (x2)_

_I'll look after you."_

_~Look After You, The Fray_


	16. Chapter 16: The Tune of Insanity

The Bond of Silver and Gold

Chapter 16: The Tune of Insanity

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of the original characters, plot, or storyline. I only own my fan-made character and her story.

Although they still hadn't managed to find the hidden Naraku, they did now possess six jewel shards. That alone would make Naraku appear before them again before too long. They wanted to continue their search, but Kagome mentioned an upcoming test, and she was also running out of supplies. They were fairly far from Kaede's village, so they started to head back, a little discouraged they hadn't found what they had ultimately been looking for.

"Are you coming back with me Chelsea?" wondered Kagome.

"Yeah," Chelsea nodded, "I need to call mom and check in. She's probably really worried."

"How long you plan on being gone? We don't have all the time in the world ya know!" barked Inuyasha.

"Just a couple days," replied Kagome, "don't be angry, I need to take an exam!"

"Feh," scoffed Inuyasha, "Why are these exams so important?"

"Inuyasha, sit," commanded Kagome.

Inuyasha hit the ground with a thud. He noticed Kagome's patience with him wasn't what it used to be.

Chelsea helped him to his feet while the others continued walking, "They're important for her future, the exams I mean."

"Did you have to take exams?" asked Inuyasha, still recovering from the sit trick.

"Yep," replied Chelsea, "My country's high school exams aren't as challenging as Kagome's though," she smiled, "So go easy on her. She has a lot at stake."

"That reminds me," said Kagome out of the blue, "Chelsea, you think you can help me study for my English exam? I'm struggling with the material."

"Sure," answered Chelsea, "English is one of the hardest languages to learn, but it was always one of my best subjects since I enjoy literature and such."

"I'm happy it's your first language. Your tutoring has made me feel more confident about it," said Kagome.

"I'm glad I can help, even a little," Chelsea did all she could to help Kagome with her studies.

"You've made a huge difference, really!" smiled Kagome.

When the group finally found a safe place to camp, they were still a couple days travel away from their destination. It was late afternoon, but the sun was still shining and everyone was doing their own thing. Kagome studied a little with Chelsea's help and did some laundry. Sango was training with Kirara in the woods. Miroku was organizing his belongings while watching over Shippo. Inuyasha was lazily catching some extra shut eye in a tree. Once Chelsea felt she was no longer needed by Kagome for studies, she decided to go explore. Kagome warned her not to wander too far away this time. If Inuyasha woke up and Chelsea was gone, he'd throw a fit. He'd give every single one of them an earful.

Chelsea found herself a nice little quiet spot in the woods, where she could clear her mind and reflect on the days before. She felt closer than ever to Inuyasha and yet… he was still out of her reach. She wondered how he felt. After that conversation back in Chiharu palace, she wondered if the reason he got so defensive was because he still had feelings for Kagome. If that's how he felt, it couldn't be helped. She told herself a long time ago that if Kagome was the one meant for him, she'd just have to live with it.

As she walked back to camp, she felt discouraged. Why did she have to think about things that made her feel so down? Rip roaring from the trees came a shrill battle cry as a demon came shooting out of a tree. Just as it was about to jump on Chelsea, a sacred arrow shot it dead in its tracks. When Chelsea looked up, there stood a beautiful woman dressed in white and red. Her gaze was piercing and yet… she looked so sad.

She had witnessed an arrow like this before. Getting a good look at the woman, she really did resemble Kagome. Was this really Kikyo?

Kikyo reloaded her bow and pointed it aggressively at Chelsea, "What?" Chelsea murmured.

"You're Chelsea, aren't you?" Kikyo questioned.

"Yes? But why?" asked Chelsea.

"You were the girl who was being attacked by Naraku in the woods that day…" she narrowed her eyes, "Inuyasha is near, and yet his presence isn't as strong as I used to feel. And he, he hasn't even recognized my scent yet, even though it is all over the place. Tell me, are you the reason for that?"

Chelsea stared at Kikyo confused, "What are you talking about?"

"Inuyasha's heart was bound to me, which was the curse that was laid upon us fifty years ago. Is it possible you have broken my seal on Inuyasha's heart?" wondered Kikyo.

Chelsea suddenly felt nothing but bitterness and anger toward this woman, "Look, I don't know why you continue to despise Inuyasha, even after knowing the truth of what Naraku had done, but it doesn't matter. All Inuyasha ever did was love you, even after he thought you betrayed him. If you ask me, the real one who broke what you had was yourself," Chelsea's tone was cold, "Inuyasha, he deserves no less than genuine happiness. He is a very kind person, with a good heart. Once upon a time you saw that too, but now all you do is hate and your existence is limited to that hate—"

Kikyo fired her arrow, just nearly, by centimeters, missing the girl's forehead, "That was a warning," said Kikyo, "I promise you, I will not intentionally miss next time."

"Fire all you like, your heart is as cold as your stare, and even though I wish I had my powers to strike you myself, even then I could not. I could not hurt something Inuyasha continues to love, for that would make me no better than you!" growled Chelsea.

Kikyo held nothing but anger toward her, even after saving her life twice; it was only because she wanted her to die by her own hand. Kikyo despised Chelsea, because she was allowing Inuyasha's heart to become whole again, "Inuyasha will never be in love with you!" Kikyo fired again, no mercy in her attempt to kill the girl.

This next moment all seemed slow motion to Chelsea, as she watched the shimmering arrow coming for her. In that very instant, she was grabbed and taken away from what was sure to be her end. She felt them land, as she looked up and realized she was in the arms of Inuyasha. Inuyasha stared at Kikyo bewildered, "What are you doing? Why did you try to strike her Kikyo? Weren't you the one who saved Chelsea when Naraku attacked her in the woods?" He moved Chelsea behind him, knowing he had to protect her.

Kikyo stared at Inuyasha, feeling helpless. Coming toward him, she latched onto him, pressing her face against his chest, "Inuyasha, do you still love me?" she was laying on the drama quite thick.

Inuyasha felt his heart pounding in his eardrums, "Kikyo…"

"How can your heart possibly yearn for another, after we kissed the way we did… after we fell in love?" she leaned into him, "Inuyasha, please reassure me, that you are still mine," her lips searched for his.

Chelsea felt herself stop breathing, but the next thing, it caused her to turn to stone.

Inuyasha turned his head away from Kikyo, "Kikyo… you know I love you. I've never stopped, and I probably never will," he took her hands off of him, "but what you did just now to Chelsea," his eyes grew cold, "is unforgiveable!" he took a step back from her, "I'm sorry, but I've learned something recently…" Inuyasha took his eyes off of her and looked to the sky, "It's okay to let go of something important to you and still hold onto the memories you cherish from that something," he looked into her eyes once more, "For me Kikyo, that will always be you, but you and I… if it was meant to be… it would have. You just set in motion what fate had in store for me… I'm still living that purpose… and I will avenge the life Naraku stole from you… stole from us… but that's it. I've finally been able," he smiled slightly, feeling relieved, "to let go of you."

Kikyo felt pained to hear him say such words. Had he truly been able to let what they had go? The old Inuyasha would never have done such a thing and yet… this girl, she had changed him somehow. She had made him… so much stronger. Kikyo turned away, "We shall see each other again Inuyasha… our fates will forever be intertwined, do not forget that," with that thought left to linger, Kikyo disappeared into the forest.

"Farewell, Kikyo," Inuyasha muttered.

"Um, Inuyasha?" asked Chelsea into the open silence.

He turned around and lowered himself to ground to meet her at eye level, "I'm sorry she attacked you. Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," Chelsea said, looking saddened, "are you though?"

He smiled at her, and she blushed immediately. She rarely got to see such an expression on Inuyasha's usually sullen expression, "You know… you're the one who showed me… it's okay to let go," he put his hand on top of her head, "thank you."

Was he thanking her? Why? "Wha—? Inuyasha? What are you—?"

"Just take the gratitude idiot," he huffed irritated.

"You know Inuyasha," Chelsea said, taking his hand off of her head and taking it in hers, "I think you had it in you all along."

He leaned in and rested his lips against her forehead, but didn't kiss her, "Silly girl," he growled.

Her face was so red at that moment. She thought her brain was going to start oozing out of her ears from feeling so hot with embarrassment, "Silly boy," she teased back. He let a little chuckle escape his throat as he looked down at her.

The two started back to camp together, basking in the silence and the welcoming warmth of the late summer sun. Fall would be upon them soon. Both were having very deep thoughts. They both wanted to go out on a limb and bring up feelings, but Inuyasha had too much pride, and Chelsea… there was too much fear.

Out from the trees came a child, seemingly running for their life. It was a little girl, her eyes tear stained, as she was being pursued by a demon. The demon looked like a bull standing on two feet with a club in his hand, "Hey!" Chelsea yelled, "Leave her alone!"

Inuyasha leapt into action to save the girl, "Iron Reaven Soul Stealer!" the demon sliced into many pieces and scattered on the ground. Inuyasha bent down to look at the girl who was now cowering on the ground, "You alright?" asked Inuyasha, extending his hand out to her. When she looked at his hand and saw the sharp claws, she immediately burst into tears. She was completely frightened.

"Get away from her!" yelled a voice, as a rock was cast at Inuyasha.

Following the rock was many more, along with arrows. Inuyasha had no idea what the hell was going on, but he had to shield the little girl and Chelsea from the blows. Luckily his robe of the fire rat seemed to take most of the beating. That and their aim with the bows were very poor.

A group of five villagers came out of hiding, staring at Inuyasha enraged, "What? Think you can just take my daughter? You demon!"

"He's got a young woman with him as well! He must take pleasure in this!" cried the woman.

"You've got it all wrong!" shouted Chelsea, "He saved this little girl!"

Inuyasha looked away, feeling bitter toward these ungrateful humans, "Just forget it Chelsea, they'll never believe you…"

The girl ran over to her father, clutching onto him, "I was so scared daddy!"

"We should kill him, sir! Don't you think?" asked one of the father's followers.

"How can you even say that?" growled the golden haired girl.

"Come on, let's go," said Inuyasha quietly, walking off.

"Girl, why do you associate yourself with demons?" asked the father.

"Perhaps she's a demon too!" yelled the woman.

"Go to hell demon lover!" growled one of the men.

"All demons do is hunt, kill, and destroy everything. They think they're superior!" said one of the other men in the group.

Chelsea turned away in disgust, "Funny, you say that," she looked over her shoulder, "but if I hadn't heard the context, I'd have thought you'd have been referring to humans," Inuyasha paused, hearing Chelsea out, "Killing each other, stealing from one another, taking land that once belonged to nature… does that not sound like a monster to you? And if so, aren't humans just as guilty for such crimes?" she sighed, "It kills me… humans and demons hate one another… but really… once you strip away the appearances… we're all the same… we hurt, we grieve, we laugh, love… it's all the same," she looked to the villagers, "I understand you were scared for your child's safety, but that demon was just looking for its next meal the same as a lot of you will do later. I'm not justifying his actions, but he may have had a family he needed to support too," her stare turned cold, "but Inuyasha did nothing wrong. He would never strike down a human, especially not a child. Whatever, I'm sure my words are falling upon deaf ears anyway, just go back to your village…" she said walking off.

She walked past Inuyasha, and he felt so fortune to have her in his life. Not many humans looked at demons in that light, but everything she said, it was true. He wasn't even full demon, and for that reason, he was hated even more. He had no side; he was in a corner all by himself. Yet, Chelsea, she knew what it was like… to be all alone. She never looked away from Inuyasha ashamed, but always smiled his way.

The villagers started back to their home, when suddenly, they all heard the sound of an instrument playing. Was that a flute? It was so high pitched. Chelsea turned around to see Inuyasha collapse from the sound. It was too harsh on his sensitive ears. She came to his side and rested his body against hers, "Inuyasha?" the villagers turned around to watch the couple. Something was wrong with her demon companion. Chelsea tried with all of her might to find the source of the shrill music being played on the flute. Where was that ghastly tune coming from!

Inuyasha's hand grasped Chelsea's arm tightly, his nails suddenly digging into it mercilessly, "Inu…yasha?" she started to bleed.

"The demon is turning on the girl," murmured the woman.

Inuyasha's gaze shifted to the villagers, his eyes a hollow crimson pupil, with blue engulfed around the center. His demon blood was awakening at the sound of this flute. It was a side of Inuyasha Chelsea had never seen before, but she remembered Kagome mentioning it, "Inuyasha!' Chelsea yelled, as Inuyasha stood up, releasing her arm.

His prime target now was these humans, "No, don't hurt them Inuyasha!" cried Chelsea, chasing after Inuyasha. The half demon leapt over the crowd as it tried to run away in desperation. He stood before them with a wicked smile across his face, "Where do you think you're going?" asked Inuyasha hollowly. Chelsea ran through the crowd of people as Inuyasha sprang into action. As he came toward her, she wrapped her arms around him and held on tight, "Come on Inuyasha, snap out of it!" he dug his nails deep into her back, "Come on…" she murmured, feeling such immense pain. Blood rushed to the surface of the penetration and she felt limp. She had to drown out the noise somehow, "You're in my arms, and all the world is calm," she started to sing in a whisper, leaning into one of his ears, "the music playing on, for only two… so close together, and when I'm with you, so close… to feeling alive…" she pushed through the pain, trying her best to wake him up, "A life goes by, romantic dreams must die… so I bid mine goodbye and never knew… so close… was waiting, waiting here with you… and now, forever I know… All that I wanted… was to hold you… so close…" Inuyasha's eyes started to return to normal, as Chelsea's soothing voice reached his soul, drowning out the irritating flute.

"Hiraikotsu!" yelled Sango, bursting into the scene to foil the demon that was playing the evil song in the trees. The demon was short, lime green, with big red eyes. Sango was riding Kirara in the sky.

From the trees came Kagome and Miroku too. The gang always reunited when it was most crucial. They all started to get worried when Inuyasha didn't return with Chelsea. They were glad they decided to investigate, "You're going down!" cried Kagome, shooting a sacred arrow to purify the demon.

All that was left was the flute. Miroku walked over to it, and struck it with his staff, causing it to evaporate.

All the while, Inuyasha was listening to Chelsea sing to him, no… she was singing for him. His eyes started to dance with emotion, "Oh how could I face the faceless days, if I should lose you now? We're so close to reaching that famous happy end. Almost believing, this one's not pretend. Let's go on dreaming, though we know we are…" she lowered her head, hearing the flute stop, "so close… so close… and still, so far…" she whispered inaudibly. That song reminded her of everything she felt for Inuyasha.

By now, Inuyasha's claws were no longer digging into Chelsea's back. Now he embraced her, pulling her close to him, as she rested her head on his shoulder, trying to catch her breath after all the panic that went through her body.

"Is it possible?" murmured the woman, "for a woman to fall in love with a demon?"

"That man is no demon," smiled the little girl. All the villagers focused on her now, "He saved me… he's just lonely."

Kagome stared at Inuyasha, watching him feel helpless. He felt guilty for nearly really hurting Chelsea just now, but something caused him to hold back, and then he heard her voice. It was so lovely, like an angel singing him a lullaby. Even though Chelsea had to experience a side of Inuyasha today she might not have necessarily liked, Kagome smiled. This experience would bring them closer. They needed to get closer; they needed to finally admit how they felt. Only then would they both be strong enough to overcome anything.

As the crew walked back to camp, Inuyasha carried Chelsea on his back. He was silent. What had he done? She had scratches on her arm and her back was bleeding. That flute, it made him go crazy. He couldn't even remember what had happened after that. His demon blood hadn't been awakened for quite some time. They all seemed to notice that even as a demon he was weak. Kagome knew why, it was Inuyasha's heart. His love for Chelsea, gave him just enough resistance to hear Chelsea calling for him.

"Inuyasha," murmured Chelsea. His ears perked up in response, "Thank you for carrying me, but I can walk if you want."

"Not happening," he replied, "it's my fault for what happened."

"Don't be silly," said Chelsea with optimism, "It was just the sound of the flute… and the painful words those villagers said, but we are most afraid of what we don't understand. Humans and demons alike share that most of all."

"Did I scare you…?" he mumbled.

"The only fear that I had was not being able to get you back," said Chelsea.

"But she did," smiled Kagome, breaking into the conversation, "so don't worry about it! Don't you see? Your soul fought off your blood, allowing you to not harm any of the villagers or Chelsea. You've done such damage in the past when that happened, but now, only Chelsea has a few scratches. You're getting stronger Inuyasha."

"I'm not strong enough," Inuyasha sighed, "I still managed for hurt her… and that's not good enough for me."

Chelsea tightened her grasp around his shoulders, as if to embrace him, "You'll always be good enough for me, Inuyasha."

His face became tinted with a reddish hue, "Be quiet back there and rest."

Every day, Chelsea had a new surprise for Inuyasha. Her words… the way she spoke them so genuinely… it touched him.

Author's Notes: Decided to bring Kikyo into the picture and then let Chelsea react to seeing Inuyasha's demon side. The song she sang was not written by me, so I take no credit for it! It's** So Close by: Jon McLaughlin**. I was sifting through songs in my mind that reminded me of them, and this one seemed to really fit so I went with it. Go search it on youtube if you feel inclined! Anyway, please review! Thanks for reading all! =D

"_He's magic and myth._

_As strong as what I believe._

_A tragedy with,_

_More damage than a soul should see."_

_~Beautiful Disaster, Kelly Clarkson_


	17. Chapter 17: His Arms, Her Home

The Bond of Silver and Gold

Chapter 17: His Arms, Her Home

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of the original characters, plot, or storyline. I only own my fan-made character and her story.

As the gang finally reached Kaede's village, it was time Kagome and Chelsea head back to the present through the Bone Eater's Well. Strange, but all morning Inuyasha had been off doing his own thing. Chelsea tried like crazy to stall long enough to say goodbye to him, but Kagome was ready to leave, "Don't worry," assured Kagome, "He'll come to see you, I know it."

Chelsea's face turned red, "Huh? Oh no it's not like that…"

Kagome couldn't believe she was still in denial, "Well then, let's go!"

Chelsea sighed, and turned back to the trees one last time. It was just a couple days… but it was years away… from him. She hated leaving without being able to see him once more. Chelsea put on a smile for the others, "See you guys in a few days! Rest up while we're gone and be careful!"

"Bring back some more delicious treats Chelsea!" requested Shippo.

"See you both soon! Be safe!" instructed Sango.

"Come back to us as soon as you can, but don't rush it," smiled the devilish monk.

As the two girls disappeared into the well, Inuyasha appeared from the nearby trees, rushing to get there in time, but it was too late, "Dammit," he huffed through breaths.

"What is it Inuyasha? Why are you so alarmed?" asked Miroku.

Inuyasha stared down at his enclosed fist, "It's nothing…"

The two girls made themselves comfy in Kagome's room, drinking tea that her mother prepared and finally being able to relax without the threat of demons, Naraku, or jewel shards. Chelsea lay on the floor staring up at the ceiling. Kagome sat on her bed and looked down at her friend. Even sweaty and gross, the girl managed to stay naturally alluring. It made Kagome envious. No wonder Inuyasha had such strong feelings for her now, "You're sure quiet Chels."

"Huh?" asked Chelsea, stepping out of her thoughts, "Oh, yeah, sorry…"

"You already missing Inuyasha?" teased Kagome. She remembered those days.

"I'm thinking about my mom and dad…" murmured Chelsea. This surprised Kagome, "I need to call them and check in… they're probably worried."

"Are you homesick?" asked Kagome.

"Maybe a little," confessed Chelsea with a smile, "I'm so close to them you know… they're all I've really had my whole life… sure, I have friends, but… my parents have just always been there… we've always stood by each other… I feel like I sort of abandoned them…"

Kagome felt saddened by Chelsea's words, "Can I ask you something?"

Chelsea sat up and looked at her friend, "Yeah?" 

"Once we defeat Naraku, what do you plan to do?" asked Kagome, "I mean… are you going to go home?"

Chelsea hadn't really thought about it, "I… I don't know. It's never really crossed my mind. I have so much to think about already, I guess I never really thought that far ahead…"

Kagome's heart sank a little, "But what about Inuyasha?"

Chelsea looked down, "What about him?"

"Chelsea, come on," Kagome urged, "I remember what you said that night… I can't imagine your feelings have gotten any weaker since then… only stronger, I'd assume," Kagome stood up and looked out of her window, "It's okay to love him you know, because I know he loves you…" Kagome smiled, tracing her finger on the glass of the window, "but… if you leave him after it's all over… I don't think Inuyasha could handle it…" she looked back to Chelsea, "Could you?"

Chelsea hugged her knees, resting her head, face down on her kneecaps, "It's not like I'd be gone for good or anything…"

Kagome couldn't believe it, "You mean you do plan on leaving?"

Chelsea didn't know, "What else can I do… stay here?"

"Of course, you're always welcome here," said Kagome, starting to panic at Chelsea's words. Why was she acting so down all of the sudden? "Stay in feudal Japan… stay with Inuyasha, Chelsea…" she sat down in front of the confused girl, "Go visit your parents anytime you like, but don't leave him. Not now, not after all you two have been through…" she tilted her head, "Can you honestly say you'd be okay just leaving?"

"No," Chelsea answered immediately, "it would be torture to leave him… even just being here, a few footsteps away from him… it tears me from the inside out… being a whole country and many years away from him…" she covered her face again, embarrassed.

"So that's why you're being so gloomy. You really do miss him huh?" asked Kagome, smiling, "It's so cute… puppy love," she teased.

"Be quiet," barked Chelsea, her face reddened as she sat up. There was a pause, "Are you sure… are you sure you don't mind Kagome?" Chelsea's eyes filled with tears, "Are you sure you don't hate me? I could never live with myself if you did…"

Kagome grabbed the girl and hugged her tightly, "You're one of my best friends. I know I can trust you with Inuyasha's heart. I just want happiness for the both of you, and when you're together; I've never seen him happier," Kagome pulled away and looked her in the eyes, "So don't hold back because of me. I'm okay with it now," her face turned serious, "the only thing that's irritating me, is that you haven't told him!"

Chelsea's face returned to its crimson state, _"Kagome's a much better person than I am…"_ she thought, "I pinky promised," she jokingly smiled, "one day I'll tell him."

After the girls went out together to do some shopping at the super market, they both crashed. Kagome needed sleep so she could tackle her exam with a clear mind. Chelsea had things she also needed to do the next day. When Chelsea woke up, Kagome had already left. She found Mrs. Higurashi in the kitchen, cleaning up, "Ma'am, if I help you clean up, can I use the kitchen to cook?" she asked.

Mrs. Higurashi found this request odd, "Sure, but can I ask what you're cooking?"

Chelsea started cleaning the dirty dishes in the sink, "Not so much cooking, more like baking," smiled Chelsea, "Our friends back in feudal Japan requested sweets, so I'm going to make chocolate chip cookies and cupcakes… if that's okay?"

"Of course," Kagome's mother smiled, "do you need any help?"

"No thank you, I can handle it," grinned Chelsea. After Mrs. Higurashi finished in the kitchen she went outside to help grandpa organize the shed. This left Chelsea the whole kitchen to herself. She started with the cookies. As she went about mixing the ingredients and going about the process, she heard the door open and shut.

"Hey, have any of you seen Chelsea?" called the familiar voice she felt so relieved to hear. Inuyasha stepped into the kitchen to find Chelsea in an apron mixing things in a bowl, "What're you doing?" he questioned.

"_Don't worry," assured Kagome, "He'll come to see you, I know it."_

Chelsea came around the counter and latched onto him tightly, "Hi…" she murmured.

His eyes swirled with happiness, but he tried to hide it as he weakly hugged her back, "What's the big welcoming for stupid?"

"I missed you," she admitted.

His heart melted, as he pulled her in tighter, "What are you doing in the kitchen?" he asked, trying to change the subject.

"Oh yeah!" said Chelsea, moving back to her work in progress, "Shippo asked that I bring sweets, so this time instead of candy, I'm making desserts!" she smiled, "I don't know if he'll like them, but I figure it's worth a shot."

There she goes again; always putting the people she loved first. He smiled at her, "You can cook?"

"Kind of," she said, placing individual unbaked cookies on the cookie sheet. She only made a dozen, she didn't want to make too many and the gang not like them, "I learned a lot while my mom was sick… someone had to make the meals around our house," she explained, while placing them in the oven, "And truth be told my dad isn't the greatest cook."

"Must have been rough, growing up with your mom sick all the time," Inuyasha said with sympathy.

"Yeah," she admitted, "but it's made me a stronger person."

"Have you called her yet?" asked Inuyasha, still not very sure how the telephone thing worked. Kagome tried to explain to him a couple times before, but it was beyond his understanding.

"Nope," Chelsea said, watching the timer, "I have to wait until night time, because then it's morning there. Different time zones and all…"

"Wow, really?" Inuyasha was surprised by this. Chelsea must originally come from a place very far from here.

Chelsea nodded, missing her home life once more. She remembered all the silly times she had with her mom and dad. They were probably really worried. She tried to take her mind off of it. Sticking her finger in the bowl where some left over batter remained, she brought her finger to his mouth, "Taste it,"

He sniffed at it, "What is it?"

"Cookie batter. Just try it, I used to eat a little every time mom made cookies when I was a child," Chelsea explained.

He gently took her hand in his and placed his mouth around her finger. His tongue tickled her finger and she immediately blushed. Pulling her hand back, she waited for his response, "Hmm, that's very sweet. Is that what they'll taste like?" he wondered.

"Sort of," she grinned, happy he didn't spat it out, "So it's okay?"

He nodded in approval, "As long as it isn't spicy."

She giggled at him, "Don't worry cookies and cupcakes aren't spicy."

"Cookies? I think Kagome's brought those before in a box," said Inuyasha.

"Well, these are homemade, and chocolate chip, I bet they'll taste a little better than store bought," Chelsea responded, hearing the timer go off. Slowly she took them out of the oven, "Once they're cooled, you can have the first one."

"Alright," he said, looking at her for a long time, _"She seems so happy, talking about her family… I wonder if she misses them…"_

A couple hours later, as Chelsea was putting the finishing touches on her dozen of mini-cupcakes, the door opened and closed again, "I'm home!" yelled Kagome, kicking off her shoes. When she came into the kitchen she was amazed to find Chelsea and Inuyasha in the kitchen. He was there all that time watching her bake.

Kagome had her hands behind her back, "Wow, they look great!"

"Thanks," smiled Chelsea, adding sprinkles, "I made extra cookies and cupcakes for your family, as thanks for letting me use the kitchen."

"What's in the boxes, Kagome?" Inuyasha asked, smelling a weird scent. Was that food?

"Well," Kagome grinned, "I know Chelsea's been homesick, so I brought her a little slice of home," she revealed two pizza boxes, "Ta-daa!"

Chelsea was amazed, "Pizza?"

"Yep," Kagome nodded, "I remembered you saying how much you missed it, and so I ordered a few on the way home."

Chelsea was overjoyed by her friend's gift, "Thank you, Kagome."

"What's pizza?" asked Inuyasha confused.

"My favorite thing to eat," grinned Chelsea. She started to clean up the mess she had made in the kitchen for Kagome's mother. It was her mess after all. Kagome chipped in so it would get done faster. Meanwhile, curious Inuyasha had to take a look at this weird food. He opened one of the boxes, sniffed it, and looked over at Kagome to see if she was watching. Right as he was about to take a bite of one side of the pizza, he heard Kagome growl his name.

Chelsea giggled, "Just wait a bit longer. We're almost done,"

"Fine," huffed the impatient half-demon, as he stomped off to go play with Kagome's cat.

"He's such a kid," sighed Kagome.

"He's innocent, that's all," smiled Chelsea.

"_Inuyasha innocent? Yeah, right,"_ thought Kagome, but after taking a look at how happy Chelsea was, she realized that he was innocent in his own way. Inuyasha's actions based on instinct, without first examining the repercussions, he didn't really know any better.

As the teenagers all finally sat down to eat their share of pizza, leaving the rest for Kagome's family, both girls stared at Inuyasha. He felt put on the spot, "What're you two staring at?"

"Just want to see your reaction," grinned Chelsea mischievously.

"Oh so_ now_ I can eat it?" he asked, his tone sarcastic and dry.

Chelsea and Kagome returned his impatience and started eating.

Inuyasha picked up a piece and looked it over. Taking a big bite, he chewed, and was actually surprised by how good it tasted. He swallowed, "So this is a food from your country?"

Chelsea decided not to get into the details of Italian cuisine, "More or less," as Chelsea finished first, being overjoyed from having pizza in her system, she stood up, "I'm going to go take a bath. I'll be back," with that she disappeared upstairs.

Kagome could think of a million things she wanted to discuss with Inuyasha. She knew she couldn't press the issue of his feelings for Chelsea, no matter how many sit commands she could muster to get him to confess. She needed to say something though, this silence was strangely awkward. As she opened her mouth to speak, he interrupted her, "Is she home sick?"

"She was pretty bad last night," answered Kagome, "yet she didn't call her parents…" Kagome then knew what to say next. If these two knuckleheads wouldn't admit how they felt, she'd have to tip the scale a bit, "Ultimately, I think she missed you," grinned Kagome.

"Me?" asked Inuyasha.

Kagome nodded, "She thinks about you all the time," Kagome started collecting the plates on the table to stick in the sink, "You've really made quite the impression on her."

Inuyasha stared at the table, "Her mother gets sick a lot…" he looked up at the wall, recalling the memories of his own mother, "If my mother was still alive… if she was prone to sickness… I don't think I could leave her…"

Kagome's expression turned sad, "Inuyasha…"

"Do you think she's…" Inuyasha's bangs shadowed his eyes.

"Inuyasha…?" asked Kagome.

Inuyasha stood up, "I need some fresh air," he said abruptly.

Inuyasha sat on a tree branch, close to Kagome's window. He stared soundlessly in the darkness, _"Chelsea, do you really not want to be here…"_ he was feeling sick, _"Going home… it would be safest for you…"_ he stared down at his closed up hand and sighed.

"Inuyasha?" he heard the voice of angel call his name. Looking down, there she was staring up at him. The girl who continued to cause his head to ache, "Come down here, what're you doing?" asked Chelsea. He jumped down, landing in front of her. He leaned into her, giving her eyes a deep inspection. Chelsea swallowed, "Inuyasha…? What're you staring at?"

"Answer honestly," he growled lowly, "Do you want to go home?" he tilted his head, slightly; "It's alright if you do."

Chelsea smiled, "I called mom just a bit ago," she turned away from him and started walking, making her way around the tree while she spoke, "She said her and dad are doing just fine. No recent trips to the hospital to report, no real sickness. The medicine she has seems to be doing the trick," she paused, "I worry that someday soon she may be gone, and I won't be there to say goodbye, you know? I love my mom… as any child would," she smiled to herself, "No matter how frail she looks; she's possibly the strongest person I know…" she circled back around to the front of Inuyasha, placing her hands on his shoulders, "Now that I know she's okay, I'm just fine. So no more talk about me going away. You can't get rid of me that easily."

He smirked, "You'll always be a pain to try to get rid of," his tone was rude, but his happy expression didn't match the message.

She tapped his nose with her index finger, "Ya got that right."

His face turned serious again, as he sat down on the ground, "There's something else."

Chelsea's eyebrow perked. Sitting down in front of him on the ground, she awaited his next move.

He opened his hand, and let a black cord dangle from his hand. At the end of the looped cord, was a shimmering stone, dark blue, and ever green in different lighting. It was shaped like a shard, rough, pure, and unpolished, yet glimmering with magnificence, "When you left, I found this stone at a nearby cavern. I asked Kaede if she had anything I could use as string, so she gave me this sturdy stuff," it looked like suede, "You gave me this necklace," he gestured to the one he still wore, tucked under his robe, "So I just wanted to give you something in return," he said, dropping the handmade necklace in her hands.

Chelsea's heart swelled, "Inuyasha,"

"You don't have to keep it," he turned his head away, embarrassed, "I was just exploring and I came across it. None of the other's really looked like that… it was one of a kind… it reminded me of you…"

Chelsea wanted to cry. Putting it on she smiled, "I love it," she leaned in, and carefully placed a smooch on his cheek. His face suddenly matched his robe of the fire rat, "Thank you," she whispered.

"Don't get all mushy," he growled, rolling his eyes. She tugged on his legs so they'd straighten out. He watched her cautiously, _"What is she up to now?"_ Slowly, she placed her back against his front, and looked up to the sky. Taking his hand in hers, she started tracing it with her fingers.

"It's nice out here," she murmured, staring up at the starry sky, "I can see why you prefer it to Kagome's house, though I still enjoy the comfort of a warm bed,"

He stared down at her, his eyes dancing in the moonlight. In one swift motion, he threw her over his shoulder and started walking, "Then let's go inside! You should have just said so, sheesh," barked the half demon.

"_Inuyasha,"_ she smiled to herself, _"Is it possible that you'll return my feelings?"_

Author's notes: Yay, another chapter completed. It's so much fun to write for the present once and a while. They'll be heading back in the next chapter though. Hope you enjoyed it! I love little mushy moments between these two. =] Thanks for reading, please review, and I'll see you guys at the next chapter!

"_I want to thank you _

_for giving me the best day of my life _

_Oh, just to be with you _

_is having the best day of my life."_

_~Thank You, Dido_


	18. Chapter 18: Confession a Moment Too Late

The Bond of Silver and Gold

Chapter 18: Confession, a Moment Too Late

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of the original characters, plot, or storyline. I only own my fan-made character and her story.

"Wow Chelsea, these are delicious!" smiled Sango, munching on a cupcake.

"Splendid indeed, what did you call these again?" asked Miroku curiously.

"Cupcakes," Chelsea answered, "good huh?"

"These are better than the candy from last time!" exclaimed Shippo, already getting a buzz from all of the sugar.

"Pace yourself Shippo, and don't eat too many at once… it'll make your stomach hurt," explained Chelsea.

Inuyasha nibbled on one of the chocolate chip cookies. This was his third one now, "I really like these,"

"I'm glad," said Chelsea, very happy above all that Inuyasha liked her cookies.

"You have to teach me your technique," said Kagome, "Baking isn't my strongest point."

"Sure," replied Chelsea, "It'll be fun to bake with you. Inuyasha can help too," She smiled at the thought of how big the mess would be with all three of them trying to bake together.

Kagome stared at the glimmering gem that rested against Chelsea's chest. She had noticed it the night before…

_Chelsea and Inuyasha came into Kagome's room where she was setting up her own little bed on the floor, with a few blankets and pillows. She and Chelsea traded off the bed every other night. Tonight was Chelsea's turn._

"_Inuyasha, you staying for the night?" asked Kagome._

"_Eh," he shrugged, "I don't know."_

_Chelsea seemed immediately saddened. After the slightly magic moment they had outside, he was already leaving again._

"_I could always just swing by in the morning to meet you both before you travel back," Inuyasha said._

_Kagome noticed the aura of sadness that clouded over Chelsea, and then something else caught her attention… she had a necklace hanging from her neck now… it was very beautiful. That's when she realized Inuyasha must have given it to her. Did he admit his feelings? Unlikely, if he was willing to leave, "Why don't you stay the night?" asked Kagome, "The bed is big enough for you to share it," she urged, __**"Yeah right… Inuyasha and I barely fit on it together the night he fell asleep on my bed… those times seem so far away now…"**_

_Chelsea's face turned red by Kagome's suggestion, "Kagome!"_

_Inuyasha was so innocent; he didn't really understand why Chelsea seemed so defensive, "What's wrong? Not like we haven't sleep next to one another before."_

"_Yeah…" Chelsea blushed, __**"but due to the implications, I'm not sure I'm ready for that yet. Even if nothing was going to happen… just sleeping in a warm bed beside him…" **__her face turned even deeper red, thinking of how much more intimate the situation was compared to just resting against one another._

"_She obviously doesn't like the idea, so it's fine," Inuyasha muttered, "I'll head back and check on the others…" before anyone could object he disappeared out the window._

_Chelsea frowned._

"_I swear you two are so stubborn," sighed Kagome, "does it scare you to be close to him?"_

"_No," replied Chelsea, half-honest, "I guess I'm just worried I'll jump the gun… I want to take it slow… slowly let it be known how I feel…"_

"_You don't think you've waited long enough?" grumbled Kagome._

"_Why are you in such a hurry to play match maker?" asked Chelsea dryly._

"_The sooner it gets out in the open the better," replied Kagome, "Kaede said you have to be true to your heart in order to let your powers resurface right? If you tell Inuyasha how you feel, I guarantee that strain on your soul will finally disappear."_

_And as Kagome predicted, Inuyasha snuck back in the room later that night and slept sitting up against the wall, at the end of Kagome's be, __**"These two were so hopeless,"**__ thought Kagome._

Kagome contemplated how to get one of them to fess up. Inuyasha would be harder, considering he hadn't even admitted to having feelings for Chelsea yet. Chelsea was on the edge of telling Inuyasha, but Kagome couldn't seem to figure out what was holding the girl back. But then again… what if Inuyasha denied her. This thought angered Kagome, _"Inuyasha, you're such an idiot…"_

"Children!" called Kaede coming toward them.

"Why hello Lady Kaede," smiled Miroku.

"Would you like a cookie? Chelsea made them," offered Shippo.

"I will have to pass this time, but thank you," smiled the old woman gratefully, "I need to speak with Chelsea though, if I can..?"

Chelsea stood up, "Oh yes, of course," the two walked a distance, and sat under a giant shade tree, far from the group. Chelsea waited for Kaede to start, but the woman seemed hesitant, "What is it Kaede?"

"Tell me child, did ye get your powers back?" asked Kaede, concern clouding her tone.

Chelsea frowned, "No, I haven't,"

"Have ye told Inuyasha how you feel?" Kaede seemed to get more worried.

Chelsea felt like she was shrinking under the pressure, "No," she murmured.

Kaede shook her head, "That's not good news," the woman pondered how to put her next statement into words, "I want to tell ye something, but don't get startled… I wanted to tell ye because I don't want to cause the whole group to get excited…" she paused, "My sister Kikyo stopped by the village yesterday," Chelsea felt her heart drop. Last time she had a run in with Kikyo, the woman tried to kill her, "She told me that Naraku is starting to move. His presence is reappearing, and to prepare you kids, because what is appearing is more sinister than ever before."

"_That girl with Inuyasha, the one with the golden hair," Kikyo explained, "I had a premonition about her… it is important she regains her powers… only she can muster up the strength to kill Naraku."_

"Are you serious?" asked Chelsea, feeling responsible should they fail now.

"That's why it's important you try to regain your abilities… I understand it's not my place to tell you how or when to reveal your feelings, but if you want to protect your friends… perhaps it's best you do it soon…" Kaede's voice was so compassionate. This girl had been through so much.

As Chelsea walked back to her group of friends, they all noticed her expression immediately. Like her mother had just told her, her dog had been hit by a car. Inuyasha stood and took a step toward her, "Chelsea?"

Chelsea stared at the ground, contemplating. Yes, it had to be now. If Naraku was reappearing, if they went into battle, she might not come out alive from it, so really, this was her only chance, "Inuyasha," her tone was so serious, "I was wondering if we could talk… you and I."

All their faces filled with surprise. Inuyasha's eyebrow perked, "Um, yeah?"

As the two walked off together, Kagome started to get suspicious. Was she going to admit how she felt? Right now out of the blue like this? It must have been something Kaede said to her.

The two sat well secluded in a nearby meadow full of luscious flowers. Chelsea was quiet, feeling almost disappointed. She wanted this moment between them to be special, but how could it be? If it just didn't feel like the right time.

"What did Kaede want?" asked Inuyasha.

"Inuyasha," she said his name, reflecting on just how much one person's name can mean to someone, "Do you think there's such a thing as perfect? Like a person, being perfect?"

Inuyasha was totally thrown by this question.

"You hear it all the time_… no one's perfect_. I really thought that, but I tried so long to be perfect anyway. I tried so hard because… I thought that's what people just did… drove themselves mad over something so impossible," she smiled, feeling a breeze caress her cheek, so warm and loving. It made her wonder if Isamu was watching right now, cheering her on, "but then I met you… and I couldn't understand, why someone who was already so perfect without even trying, wanted to change who they were… because they still weren't happy with themselves…"

Inuyasha frowned, trying to figure out what the hell she was saying.

"It really hit me, that no matter how hard people try, they will always struggle to be happy, until they find some place, some people, somewhere where the atmosphere, makes them feel perfect. You gave me that Inuyasha… you allowed me to find a place where in the craziest of ways, I fit right in… perfectly. All because you're so perfect…" explained Chelsea.

"Chelsea…" whispered Inuyasha.

"Even in those things you claim to be imperfections…" Chelsea started, recalling something she once said to him.

"_You're so cold… so lonely… I know how that feels better than anyone… but someday, someday you'll find someone who deeply cherishes you, and not just for the things you like about yourself, but the things you don't like, they'll love those things most of all."_

She felt herself start to tear up, "I could compare you to a diamond in the rough or something cliché like that, but… it would never do you justice. You're indescribable Inuyasha…"

Inuyasha stared at her, seeing her cry, "What are you saying?"

"Inuyasha…" she felt tears slide down her face. Moment of truth… That's when she felt it, a strange wind… She turned to Inuyasha, seeing those cursed blades closing it. Forcing him down, she lay over top of him as the blades went flying overhead and disappeared, "Kagura," murmured Chelsea.

She took to her feet and saw Kagura standing before her. Inuyasha was on his feet in moments, standing in front of Chelsea, "Kagura!"

Kagura smirked, "Miss me mutt?" she hissed, "Sorry, but I'm not here to play with you. Too bad…"

Inuyasha unsheathed Tetsusaiga, "You might not have come here to fight me, but that's what you're gonna get! Wind Scar!" the Tetsusaiga let out a whiplash capable of destroying a hundred demons in a single swipe, yet she evaded his attack.

"You fool," she muttered, "Dance of the dragon!" she hurled whirlwinds toward him, to keep him surrounded long enough to fulfill her mission. In no time she was bashing Chelsea in the back of the head, knocking her unconscious, and making off with her, _"I'm not sure what Naraku plans to do with her… but he expected more of a resistance… could it be that this girl no longer holds any significant power?"_

When Inuyasha came to after being thrown around by Kagura's whirlwinds, he was staring up at the worried expression of Kagome, "Inuyasha what happened?"

"Kagura was here, no doubt about it," commented Miroku, examining the damage to the field.

"Is that possible? Than that must mean—!" Sango gasped.

"Yes," replied Miroku, "Naraku has finally come back."

"Where's Chelsea?" asked Inuyasha.

"What?" asked Kagome.

"No," Inuyasha said, forcing himself up, "She's gone…?" he felt so weak, "I let her get away… I let her take off with Chelsea…"

When Chelsea stirred from unconsciousness, she was chained, both feet and wrists, to the floor. By the door sat a boy, with a weapon that looked like a scythe blade connected to a chain. Wait, was this Kohaku, Sango's little brother who was being possessed by Naraku?

"You're awake," murmured Kohaku hollowly.

Suddenly a silhouette appeared on the other side of the door. Stepping into the room, Naraku smiled at Chelsea, "Long time no see,"

"So you really are still alive…" muttered Chelsea.

"You have no power… and yet you show no fear. Why is that?" asked Naraku.

"Guess I'm so happy to see you, the fear hasn't caught up with me yet," sarcastic as ever. Chelsea shouldn't talk like that when she was nothing but a mere mortal in her current state.

"Still room for sarcasm. Must mean you don't know quite yet just what you're in for…" Naraku's grin was as sinister as ever.

Chelsea's head was absolutely killing her. She still felt pretty dazed, "You're a real pain in the ass you know that?"

Naraku came toward her, bent down in front of her, and placed his index finger beneath her chin, lifting her gaze to his, he started to explain, "I sat idly by, allowing your heart to yearn for that wretched Inuyasha… and in turn, allowed his heart to beat solely for your existence. Now that he's fallen in love once more, I will take away what means so much to him… in turn allowing the Sacred Jewel to become more tainted," he leaned into her, "In the meantime… your heart being tormented… shall serve to be entertaining," with that, he placed his lips against hers, forcing himself against her.

Chelsea felt like she was going to puke! What was this monster doing? She started to squirm, but he grabbed onto her.

"In your dismay, as you come to the realization that Inuyasha won't come for you, the jewel will also grow more tainted… but I must say… you do have quite the body… both of us shouldn't let it go to waste," he hissed, placing his lips on her neck.

"Get your disgusting mouth off of me," she cried, "You sick bastard! Let me go!"

Everything went blank after that. When her eyes opened, she was somewhere else. All around her, disaster was crawling toward her, to suffocate her in darkness. As she walked on the cracked, decaying ground, her footsteps felt light, almost like she wasn't touching the ground. Next thing she knew, she saw a body on the ground in front of her, and who else could it have been, but Inuyasha. He was in his human form, but taking her investigation further she realized, he was bathed in his own blood. His eyes were half open, lifeless. He looked so defeated. Tears rushed to Chelsea's eyes, as she came toward him and leaned over him, "Get up, Inuyasha!" she was pleading with all of her might, "I can't do this without you, I love you Inuyasha, I love you!... I need you…" she rested on his cold body, wishing death would claim her. Without Inuyasha, there was simply no way she could go on living, even with her heart still beating.

A light seemed to envelope her, as she sprang from the dreamlike world back into reality. She was drenched in sweat, her head was still pounding, and now, she was covered with bruising. That's when it occurred to her, that she must have passed out as Naraku was about to have his way with her. Her whole body ached… could he really have…

No, it just wasn't possible. But what if he did? She felt so dirty in that instant. She felt like, in that single instant, she had betrayed all of her friends she had come to love so much. And what's worse, how could she ever look at Inuyasha in the eyes again… if her body was used for such despicable acts.

Still chained down, she started fighting to break loose, but it was no use. She banged around so hard, her wrists started to bleed, and her head felt as heavy as lead. Resting against the wall, she started to silently sob to herself. She was defeated, in this moment; it really felt like Naraku had won. That's when she felt the necklace resting against her chest, where her heart beat wildly. She couldn't give up on him; she gave him her word that she would not.

That's when Kagura entered the room. Her expression was almost… pity. Pity on the girl who Naraku seemed to be so obsessed with the moment her existence was known. Averting her gaze, the wind sorceress sighed, "Can you stand?"

Chelsea felt so numbed, by everything, "If you can break these chains, I could try," she said hollowly, staring at the wall in front of her.

Even Kagura admitted what Naraku was doing to this girl was cruel. She looked so lifeless… paler than ever before. Yet in not stopping Naraku, did that make her even worse of a person? Slowly she removed the girl's shackles, figuring she was no threat in her current condition.

Kagura figured correct, as Chelsea struggled to stand on her own two feet. Her hands were still bound together. Something about Kagura always fascinated Chelsea, "Kagura," she started, her voice weak, "I feel great sympathy for you."

Kagura was shocked by the girl's words.

"I think… Naraku made you, to cast out the little glimmer of goodness he had left in him," Chelsea explained her theory, "I see it, deep within you… you hate him… he's the reason for your existence, and yet you loathe him…"

Kagura had orders to take the girl to Naraku, but yet she was so interested in what the girl was saying that she couldn't move.

"Freedom," she whispered, her voice so lifeless, "Freedom, is every leaving creatures right Kagura… freewill was given to you by something much stronger than Naraku," she offered the demon a weak smile, "You're the wind… when the world can find a way to capture something so free… you know it's going to hell," Chelsea started to walk toward the door, limping. She knew she was supposed to be taken somewhere, and she wasn't going to fight it. If she did, she might die, before getting the chance to tell Inuyasha that she loved him, "If there's ever sometime, when I can kill that damned Naraku… I won't kill you… I don't think I could…"

Kagura walked up behind the girl, feeling moved by her words. There was so much she wanted to say to that girl, but with the poisonous insects keeping a watchful eye on her, she could not, "Naraku wishes to see you…" she walked around the girl, "Come with me…" she started to walk, "if you pass out or die, do not expect any sympathy… there is no excuse… for being weak."

Chelsea followed behind Kagura, feeling her life being cut shorter with each step. As they came down a hallway, there was Naraku, standing in front of closed double doors, "Ah Chelsea, we have guests," he smirked, grabbing Chelsea by her arm and pulling her outside. The two were standing atop a giant stairway. Several feet from the base of the steps, was Inuyasha with the rest of his friends. The moment Inuyasha's eyes fell upon Chelsea's battered body, he was consumed with rage.

"Inuyasha…" whispered Chelsea, for that was all she could do. She felt so weak, and her vision felt blurry.

Naraku was so confident; he was finally appearing himself, before his enemy. No demon puppets, no distractions with reincarnations. This was the real deal. Pulling Chelsea close to him, he whispered in her ear, "This is your final chance to say whatever you want to that ingrate Inuyasha. Make it quick…" that said, he hurled her forward. It was a long way down.

Chelsea stared down the steps, watching Inuyasha come closer to her now, almost to the bottom of the steps, "Inuyasha…" she started, as Naraku placed his hand against her back and thrust her forward, "I love you…" and then, blackness… as her body started its long flip-flop down the stairs.

Author's Notes: Cliff hanger! Haha, I know you guys are going to hate me for this, but it had to be done. So I was wondering, say the gang somehow does beat Naraku, would you be willing to continue reading about these guys after he's gone? I promise I'd have some fun times in store ;) let me know in your reviews. Love ya all for reading, and see ya at the next chapter! =D

"_And if all the flowers faded away,_

_And if all the storm clouds, decided to say._

_Then you would find me,_

_Each hour the same,_

_Cause she is tomorrow,_

_And I am today. _

…

_She is the sunlight,_

_The sun is gone…"_

_~She is the Sunlight, Trading Yesterday._


	19. Chapter 19: The Powerful Light of Love

The Bond of Silver and Gold

Chapter 19: The Powerful Light of Love

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of the original characters, plot, or storyline. I only own my fan-made character and her story.

As Chelsea's body spiraled to the ground, all seemed in slow motion to Inuyasha. He was breathless, his heart begged for her to move… even just a fingertip. Give some sign that her heart hadn't stopped. Was he… crying? Did she really just say… she loved him? "Chelsea," he choked. He came to her side and flipped her over on her back, staring at her pale face, "Dammit, you better wake up!" he pressed his face to hers, "You can't give up on me now…" he urged, "You fool… don't you see… how much you mean to me?" his single tear fell on her cheek, and suddenly, rage circulated through his system.

In a single moment, he was only inches from Naraku, who was smiling at him wickedly. Viciously, he started thrusting the Tetsusaiga wildly at this horrible beast, "Your life ends today… how could you?" growled Inuyasha, "How could you do this to her!" A massive wind scar escaped the blade and came hurdling at Naraku, but Inuyasha was being reckless. He was coming at Naraku with everything he had.

"You will always be a fool," smirked Naraku, "You let her die… just like you did Kikyo."

Naraku's low blows were becoming a nuisance, "I'm sick of you treating everything like it's yours!" Inuyasha boomed, "I will finish you. Here and now!"

A piece of Naraku's armor turned into a thorny blade, he used to hold back Inuyasha with ease, "Speaking of things that are mine," smiled the evil demon as his eyes were churning crimson, "I must tell you how soft and delicate that fragile mortal woman's body was. So pure… so tempting…"

Inuyasha's heart leapt up into his throat, choking him. This gave Naraku the edge to force him back a few feet. Had Naraku really… done that to her? No, he couldn't have, but what if he did… he was so despicable.

"Naraku, you will pay!" cried Kagome, firing an arrow at the beast, just barely missing him.

"Stay out of it Kagome!" barked Inuyasha, "This bastard is my burden to bear!"

"But Inuyasha, Chelsea was our friend too!" yelled Shippo.

"That may be," murmured Inuyasha, "but you didn't love her…" he lowered his gaze, feeling his knees wobble, "the way I do…"

As a single tear hit the hard ground below him and sank into the ground, a sudden flash of light consumed Chelsea's body. When the light dissipated, slowly, once lifeless jaded emerald eyes sprang to life, "Inuyasha…?" she murmured.

Inuyasha couldn't believe his ears… and nor could Naraku. Naraku's teeth grinded together, _"She's so irritating…"_ appearing over the recently revived Chelsea, he stared at her with malice. In one swift motion, there was blood spattered across the ground. In the back and out the front of the chest, Inuyasha stood before Chelsea, shielding her from Naraku's fatal blow. Chelsea's eyes grew hollow. Once the blade was pulled back through from which it came, Inuyasha collapsed on Chelsea's lap, "Inuyasha," she sobbed, "Inuyasha! Don't die! You can't leave me!"

He looked up at her weakly and smiled, "I'm not going anywhere," he forced himself to sit up, for her sake, but immediately fell against her shoulder, "Like you, it won't be that easy to get rid of me," he joked dryly, recalling what she said to him recently… under the moonlight, the stars, the tree, she saw all of that, but at that moment, as they stood there, all he had seen was her.

Out of nowhere Kikyo came forward, beside Kagome, "We must fire our arrows at the girl,"

"You can't be serious! We'll kill her Kikyo!" cried Kagome, her head pounding from all the stress. All the while Sango and Miroku were fighting off Naraku's demons.

"We must… her powers have awakened," Kikyo explained, "I promise it will not kill her… if we don't… Inuyasha will die," Kikyo loaded her bow, awaiting Kagome's decision.

If Kikyo was lying… if she was doing this to kill Chelsea right in front Inuyasha before his death, but if she didn't and Inuyasha died… She loaded her bow as well, feeling all the more hesitant.

"Aim for her back," said Kikyo, "Fire!"

Two sacred arrows shot like bullets from guns and penetrated Chelsea's back. There was instant pain, and then warmth, "Chelsea?" Inuyasha's voice echoed in her head, as she was suddenly consumed with light. Was she dying? No, this felt like amazing strength. From her body sprang a light, purifying everything on Naraku's castle grounds. Three sets of wings sprang from her back, her hair extended well beyond the ground, all of her bruises and gashes disappeared, wrapped in a white-rainbow silk dress. Without warning, Inuyasha's body felt excruciating pain. When he looked at his hands, his claws were gone, and his hair had turned black. What was happening?

Hovering over him, was the face of an angel… was he dead? That wasn't right; he was in too much pain. He felt a hot sensation on his chest, as she laid her hand down on him, and healed every ache. She then cupped his face with her hand, "Chelsea?" he wondered, and suddenly felt so at ease, as she placed her lips against his.

"Let me protect you, just this once…" she instructed, floating over him, her eyes suddenly fell upon Naraku, who looked like he was struggling through all the purity, "Naraku, I saw it all just now. The truth. I should have known better than to believe you took advantage of me. You never do the job on your own… you never finish what you start, and your curse ends today," Kikyo and Kagome's bows disappeared, and reappeared as one giant bow in her hands. Borrowing the Tetsusaiga, she loaded her holy bow, "The reality is, you could never come between Inuyasha and I, because I was born to protect him, and he was born to save me."

The Tetsusaiga glittered with lustrous virtue, "I will answer all of my friends' prayers, I will give my sympathy to those who died because of you… Naraku… this is the end of you!" she pulled back on the bow, "Holy Wrath!" she cried, releasing the Tetsusaiga, watching it transform as it went flying through the air. As it flew, all of the lost souls were being remembered. Today, Miroku's hand, Sango's family, Shippo's father, Koga's fallen comrades, Kikyo's sadness, and Inuyasha's heart would all be healed. The Tetsusaiga penetrated Naraku's chest. His eyes rolled back, as he roared a hideous cry of death.

"I don't understand… how I failed," he whispered.

Chelsea came toward him, grabbing the sword and slicing it through him. He disintegrated immediately. It seemed like the world grew brighter. Naraku's dim control had finally disappeared. Fluttering down from the sky came a giant fragment of the jewel shard. It had nearly been completed, but it appeared some pieces were still yet to be found. Looks like their job wasn't completely finished just yet, but damn they had sure gotten a lot farther today. As Chelsea grasped the tainted shard, it instantly became pure. Her angelic figure swirled around her and disappeared, leaving her true, original form in its place. Inuyasha's demon powers returned to him instantly.

Slowly he stood to his feet; looking at the girl he had such deep feelings for now. They stared at each other from across the once crumbled up battlefield. With Tetsusaiga in one hand, and the jewel in the other, she started toward him. He took a couple steps, and she instantly leapt into his arms, dropping the Tetsusaiga and the jewel. She finally had want she wanted in her arms.

The group stared at the two totally amazed by what had taken place. When Kagome looked to her left, Kikyo was gone. She must have disappeared into the woods after watching Naraku's demise.

"Oh!" Chelsea remembered, handing Inuyasha the Tetsusaiga, "I'll be right back!" she flew up the steps to the castle. It appeared Naraku had been using an actual run down castle, in order to conceal his aura further. Deep inside, she found what she had been looking for. Kohaku lay on the ground, and awoke to Chelsea's smiling face, as she picked up the shard that once possessed his back. Holding out her other hand to him she said, "Come with me… your sister sure has missed you Kohaku…" her eyes scanned the place further, _"I hope Kagura got out in time… I promised her after all…"_

Kohaku took the girl's hand and out they came. When Kohaku saw his sister he was instantly relieved, "Sango?" he asked.

Sango started to cry instantly. It really hit her then. It was finally over. She finally had Kohaku back. As the two reunited with hugs of sibling love, Chelsea came down to Miroku, "So pretty boy," she joked, "how about that cursed hand of yours?"

Reluctant to pull away the beads, he looked at his palm. Skin stared back at him. There was no longer a black hole, "Thank you… you are truly a beautiful person."

"I didn't do anything… I just harnessed all of your hopes together and used it to destroy him… that's all," answered Chelsea.

"You really are beautiful Chelsea," smiled Kagome, "look at how happy you've made everyone," she motioned toward Sango, who was genuinely smiling for the first time in as long as anyone could remember.

A hand grasped Chelsea wrist as she was suddenly spun, and forcefully pulled into a kiss. She was putty in Inuyasha's arms. She smirked at him, "Quite the pest aren't I?"

He pressed his forehead against hers and chuckled, "I don't know why the fates would ever give me something as perfect as you," he ran his nose down her cheek, and suddenly blushed. Turning his face away he suddenly started sputtering his words, "That is… I mean—if you want me that is—ugh…"

"You sink your teeth into my lips and now you're suddenly shy?" she wondered, laughing.

He was growing redder with each word, "Be quiet," he pouted.

She started to lean in, to claim his lips once more, but her eyes turned to the group who were all smirking mischievously at them, watching how playful these two were. Pulling back Chelsea sighed, "All hail the peanut gallery," turning to Kagome she gave her the big jewel shard and the one she found with Kohaku, "We still have some work to do it would seem."

Kagome stared at her, very happy that Inuyasha and her were finally being open with one another, "Yep," she nodded, grabbing the girl to hug her.

Chelsea hugged her back, glad that the girl wasn't angry with her, and she could continue to call her, her best friend.

The victorious group returned to Kaede's village with a warm welcome in store. News was already spreading that the wicked witch was dead. Chelsea knew it would be a while before they'd set back out for the rest of the jewel shards, because Sango needed time with her brother, and Miroku mentioned needing to go visit his master to tell him the good news.

Chelsea had found a quiet place away from the village. Lying in the grass she breathed in the fresh air. She was so overjoyed to have her powers back and even happier to have— "Chelsea," Inuyasha said, coming up to her.

He lay down beside her in the grass and stared at her thoughtfully. His head was propped up on his hand, as he lay on his side.

"What?" she finally asked.

"What are you thinking?" he wondered.

She shrugged it off, "A little bit of everything."

"Above all?" he asked.

"My mom and dad… since Sango and Miroku asked that we give them a little time… I just wondered if I should go back home for a few days and see my parents…" she paused, "but then… the thought of being that far from you… it pains me."

Inuyasha sympathized with her. She needed to go see them, but they were finally able to be together. It would be so difficult for him to go without her for a few days, "I'll be okay," he assured.

"Yeah I know," smiled Chelsea, rolling over to press her face against his chest, "but I'm not so sure I would be."

He put his arm around her, "They probably miss you,"

"I know," Chelsea sighed.

"You think… maybe… I could…" he whispered inaudibly.

"What?" she asked.

"…Come with you…" he said, turning his gaze from her.

Chelsea blinked, staring at him, "Inuyasha…"

Inuyasha sat up, his back facing her, "Forget I said it,"

"It's not that I don't want you to," she said, "I'm just afraid it would be too different for you."

"I can handle it," he said looking over his shoulder.

"But… you don't know the language… the food is completely different… I live in a really small boring town… you'll be so bored there Inuyasha… it's not demons and fighting," Chelsea explained.

"You came from there right?" he asked, "I'd like to see it…"

Chelsea's cheeks grew warm. Sitting behind him, she rested her head against his back and held him, "Only if you promise to be good," she joked, but was being completely serious.

He linked his pinky with hers and half-smiled, "I'll do whatever you want me to. I promise…"

Chelsea couldn't believe he still remembered their little pinky experience, but she kept her pinky promise… Inuyasha would do the same, "Do you mind if Kagome goes?" she asked.

"Why would I mind?" he asked.

"I don't know, I just didn't know if you wanted to be alone with me—I mean… well," she stuttered.

In one swift motion he turned around and pinned her to the ground, "Heh," he stared deep into her eyes, "You should know me better than that… I can get you alone whenever I want."

"_Where was this cocky confidence coming from?" _Chelsea thought, her face redder than ever, _"So aggressive…"_ that's when it hit her, _"Right… he's always been just that… cocky, confident, and aggressive… now it's just being expressed in a different manner."_

"What?" he smirked, "You lock your arms around me and now your suddenly so shy?" he mocked.

"Oh hush," she said, sticking her tongue out at him.

"Am I interrupting?" asked a confused voice of a certain school girl.

The two immediately separated with embarrassment as Kagome stood there, "Not at all," smiled Chelsea. Standing to her feet, she pulled Kagome aside, "Say," she whispered, "would you mind coming back home with me to the states? Inuyasha wants to go… but I feel like I could use some back up… plus, you haven't been there, have you?"

"Really? You'd take me too?" asked Kagome, surprised. She figured she'd want Inuyasha to herself, now that she finally could be with him.

"It's just with the plane ride and everything… meeting my parents…" her face turned pale, "I'm gonna need moral support from a friend who knows Inuyasha… please, please, please… we can have a girls' day if you want. I'll take you out on a day of fun…" she was giving Kagome puppy eyes at this point.

"Alright, alright. Settle down," grinned Kagome, "I could use the vacation."

Chelsea hugged the girl, "You're the best."

Who knows… maybe this little trip could be fun. At the very least, it would certainly be interesting.

Author's Notes: I thought a little trip to America with Inuyasha and Kagome would prove to be completely chaotic and hilarious all the same. Not to mention Inuyasha meeting Chelsea's parents will be a fun writing for me. Stay tuned and review for me guys! Thanks for reading. ;)

"_Love of my life, my soulmate,_

_You're my best friend._

_Part of me like breathing…"_

_~Who Am I to Say, Hope_


	20. Chapter 20: Trip to America Pt 1

The Bond of Silver and Gold

Chapter 20: Trip to America Pt. 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of the original characters, plot, or storyline. I only own my fan-made character and her story.

When they pulled up to the small place Chelsea called home, Kagome and Inuyasha were very intrigued. Chelsea paid the taxi driver his money and waved him off. It seemed Chelsea's family owned a five and a half acre piece of land with a very small home in the center. Out back was a shed where her father liked to work away his weekends, and surrounding the house was nothing, but trees. Chelsea did live out in the country after all, so there wasn't a whole lot to see.

Inuyasha was still recovering from his car sickness. He had never been in an automobile previously, and being inside that tiny, cramped taxi, watching the trees whoosh by, made him feel very sick. They arrived at sunset, all very exhausted from the long plane rides and taxi trip. Chelsea couldn't wait to put her key into the lock and let herself in.

When they came into the house, all was silent, "Mom, I'm home!" called Chelsea.

Inuyasha's ears perked up hearing Chelsea speak her native tongue. It sounded so different from the language he knew.

"Oh," Kagome suddenly showed some newfound excitement, "I get to test out my English now!"

"Yep," smiled Chelsea, still trying to figure out how she would explain Inuyasha.

As her mom, Debbie, came walking in, she was most surprised by her daughter's sudden return. Chelsea decided it would be more fun if she just showed up instead of letting her parents know ahead of time that she was returning. She didn't want to give her dad enough time to work up a lecture in which he'd repeat himself for several hours on end.

What surprised her mother even more, was that she had guests with her, "Hi Chelsea," she greeted, "Are these your friends?"

"Yes, this is Kagome and Inuyasha," she knew she already sounded crazy.

When Chelsea's mother got a good look at Inuyasha, her expression changed. She was absolutely stunned, "Isamu…"

Inuyasha understood that much. His frown seemed to widen with disapproval. It pained him… to be compared to that boy. Even if he was noble, even if he saved Chelsea… even if they shared the same face… he got to experience so much with Chelsea that he couldn't.

"I see you noticed their similarity," Chelsea said, nervously, "It's a really long story… and I doubt you'll believe me," Chelsea started to go into all of the details. From Isamu being Inuyasha's reincarnation, to the Sacred Jewel and Naraku, to all the exciting moments in between. Her mom seemed very skeptical as Chelsea assumed she would be, until Chelsea removed Inuyasha's cap to reveal his dog ears, "They're 100% real."

Chelsea's tiny figure of a mother came closer to Inuyasha and immediately started touching them to see for herself. Though the woman was aged, Inuyasha could tell she was beautiful in her prime, just like her daughter was now. Suddenly a smile spread across her mother's face, "Well I'll be damned, he really does look like Isamu… can he speak English?"

Inuyasha's face was sour, not only because his ears were being fondled, but because he heard that boy's name again.

"Not really," Chelsea admitted, "I'll teach him in time… but he's sort of hardheaded about that sort of thing."

"I see… that's why you left again," Debbie murmured, taking a step back from the dog eared boy, "You should have called before you came home… your dad is spending the night with a friend. He's helping him paint the walls of his house and wanted to get an early start… so he's not here right now."

Chelsea was a little relieved truth be told. Before when she left, she didn't say goodbye to her dad. She couldn't imagine the earful she'd receive from him later.

"I'll prepare dinner for you and your friends," smiled her mother, starting for the kitchen.

Kagome finally spoke up, "Can I watch? I'd love to see where Chelsea gets her mad cooking skills from."

Debbie was surprised the girl could speak English fairly well, "Very well… Kagome was it?"

As Kagome joined Chelsea's mother in the kitchen, Chelsea grabbed Inuyasha and headed down the hallway toward her room at the very end. That's when it hit her, "Stay here," she instructed, and booked it into her room. When she came in, the room was a total mess. It obviously hadn't been cleaned for a long time… She couldn't even remember the last time it had been cleaned. Sometime long before the coma she was sure. Quickly she picked it up, shoving clothes into a hamper and the rest under her bed. Picking up loose papers from school and throwing them in her closet. On the outside of the door, Inuyasha stood with his ear to the door, listening to all the excitement on the other side.

Chelsea opened it soon after, "Come on in," she smiled.

Inuyasha looked all around, taking it all in. There were anime posters on the wall, swords displayed. Pictures of wild cats plastered on her door. Drawings and paintings hung around the room and it also appeared she liked to collect angels, _"How ironic,"_ he thought.

"You've been really quiet up until now… is something on your mind?" she asked.

"What were you talking about with your mom?" he couldn't follow at all.

"I just told her everything… that's all," she shrugged, flopping down on her bed.

Inuyasha turned to her, looking deeply into her eyes. He was searching for something inside her. Something he was afraid to ask, "You think your bed is big enough?" he huffed, trying to keep his mind off of it.

"Oh," Chelsea's bed was a queen size, big enough for two people instead of Kagome's small twin bed, "Well, I'm an only child so… my parents sort of go all out for me… don't get the wrong idea… it's not like I'm spoiled… we're not the richest bunch, that's to be sure."

"I never said you were spoiled…" Inuyasha murmured, sitting down on the carpeted floor.

"_He's acting so weird… I wonder why…"_ thought Chelsea, "My mom was wondering if you knew our language… do you want me to try to teach it to you over time?"

Inuyasha thought about it, "Sure, why not?"

Chelsea smiled and brought herself to him, sitting on the ground in front of him, "Are you unhappy?" she asked.

He looked deeply into her eyes again, wishing he could speak what was on his mind, and yet… she seemed so happy to be home… if he spoiled the mood, he'd feel terrible, "It's nothing, I'm just still queasy from that weird metal box on wheels taking us here…"

Chelsea ran her fingers through his hair. Oh, how he ached for her touch. Rubbing her thumb against his cheek she smiled more gently, "Well, why don't you make yourself comfortable. I'm going to go take a shower… I promise it won't take long," with that she kissed him on the forehead, and left the room.

After a moment of sitting there, Inuyasha stood up, taking in his surroundings once more. Lying down gingerly on Chelsea's bed, he instantly felt intoxicated by the aroma. The smell of white peaches and silk blossom filled his nostrils. Her scent was simply everywhere in this room… but her pillow, it made him feel high on the smell he had come to adore.

When Chelsea walked back in, it appeared Inuyasha had drifted off to sleep. Putting a blanket over top of him, she kissed him on the cheek and flicked off the light. She decided she needed to put something in her belly before bed, so off she headed to the kitchen. Whatever her mom was cooking smelled absolutely delicious.

"Ta-daa!" Debbie grinned, revealing she had made fettuccine alfredo for Chelsea; One of her favorite meals.

Chelsea's stomach immediately exclaimed, "Attack!" and she was already on her second serving.

"You certainly love your Italian food," Kagome laughed, "Though I gotta admit, this is delicious!"

"Where's the cute dog boy you brought home with you?" asked her mother.

"Inuyasha fell asleep on my bed," Chelsea replied, "He's really worn out. This whole experience might be a bit much for him."

"I'm assuming you're not staying this time are you?" her mother asked reluctantly.

"I promise I'll come back and visit as often as I can… but… I just need to be with him, ya know? Inuyasha doesn't belong here… he came here because he was curious… but I think he's putting on a strong face for my sake. Something tells me he's already homesick… I know how that is… that's how I felt when I first dropped in the feudal era," Chelsea remembered how lost she felt. How unsure she was of every action she took. At least Inuyasha wasn't alone. He'd never have to worry about that.

After they finished their meal, Chelsea showed Kagome to the guest bedroom, they said their goodnights and parted ways there. Chelsea came into her room to find Inuyasha still sleeping where she left him. Curling up beside him, she slunk under the covers and felt sleepiness start to consume her.

Inuyasha rolled over and opened his eyes. He was staring at the back of her head, "Chelsea…?" he murmured.

Chelsea rolled over to face him, "Sorry, did I wake you?"

He was surprised she was lying next to him after the fuss she made before at Kagome's house, "No," he lied.

"You promise you're okay?" she wondered, touching his hair once more.

"After we get all the shards of the jewel… I can become a full demon…" he murmured, "But… what if I became human?"

Chelsea didn't really know where this was coming from, "What are you talking about?"

"Wouldn't it be easier on you if I was human?" he asked, "We… we could live here… you could be with your family again. Let's face it, I don't have a real family… but you do… I may not understand your mom, but I know that look in her eyes, it's the same look my mother had when she looked at me… so much love for her child…" he explained, "So if I became human… learned your language… I bet I could adjust to life here… for your sake."

Chelsea stared at him, confused, "Miroku, Sango, Shippo, and Kagome… aren't they all sort of your family? And you forget they're my family too. I love the feudal era… it's also my home… I found the person I love there…" she scooted closer, resting her head against his, "If you want to know the truth… I want you to stay just the way you are… because I love you for you… but if being a full demon is what will make you happy… than I'll stand beside you… and seeing you happy will make me happy too."

"But what about all this Isamu talk? He was a human right? If I become human…" he trailed off, "it'll be like you never lost him…"

Chelsea couldn't believe his logic. So this is why he was acting so distant. He must have been torturing himself with these thoughts all day, "Isamu is gone Inuyasha… your brown eyes, and black hair will not bring him back… because they're yours," Chelsea sighed, "You silly boy… thinking that I'd ever trade you for anyone else… don't you know what I love you means?"

Inuyasha's face turned red, "But—"

Chelsea leaned in, kissing his lips gently, to silence him, "I want these lips, those cute dog ears, those lovely golden irises, and the pure heart that goes with them… please don't change Inuyasha…"

He stared at her, amazed, "I guess it's just hard to believe… someone so beautiful and pure… would want someone like me…"

Chelsea made up her mind, "Tomorrow we're going to go out and explore the big city near here… I have so many things I want to show you and Kagome, Inuyasha. No more negative thoughts… it's an adventure… so please clear your head and try to relax a little. Don't over think things… you'll only torture yourself," she rolled back over, facing away from him, trying not to let the subject he brought up bother her. How could he think like that? After all they had been through?

"Chelsea," he murmured, "Can I… uh—" he started to stutter, "hold you?"

Chelsea smiled, "You don't have to ask, you know?"

"I don't want to upset you or overstep my boundaries," he muttered flatly, "I'm just trying to be considerate!"

Chelsea grabbed Inuyasha's arm and threw it over her, "Be quiet and get some rest you goof," she teased.

Inuyasha pulled her in against him. He felt so calm, having her this close. It felt like the first real time she was getting to sleep so intimately with her. The smell of her hair, the softness of her skin. It soothed all his worries temporarily, allowing him to fall fast asleep.

Author's Notes: Sorry for the late update folks! Been really busy! Hope you enjoyed part one and part two should be very fun to write. Thanks for sticking with me! =D

"_All I see is your face,_

_All I need is your touch._

_Wake me up with your lips._

_Come at me from up above…"_

_~Magic, Colbie Caillat_


	21. Chapter 21: Trip to America Pt 2

The Bond of Silver and Gold

Chapter 21: Trip to America Pt. 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of the original characters, plot, or storyline. I only own my fan-made character and her story.

The next morning, Inuyasha couldn't remember the last time he felt so well rested. Having the person he loved so close to him, finally, made all the difference. Waking up beside her, seeing her still fast asleep beside him, would be truly something special. When he opened his eyes however, he was staring back at fire golden eyes that were studying him up close and personal, _"What… the hell?"_ he thought, _"cat eyes?"_

His eye started to twitch, staring back at this abnormally large feline, colored in mostly orange with white coating his stomach. This wasn't no ordinary cat… he looked totally… pissed.

As Chelsea blow dried her hair in the bathroom beside her bedroom door, she heard Inuyasha suddenly let out a yelp like he was being attacked! Scrambling into the room, the ferocious feline jumped into her arms, "Huh?" Chelsea wondered, "Boo, how did you get in here?" she looked toward Inuyasha to see a giant row of scratches across his cheek, "Are you okay?"

"What the hell? Is that your cat?" barked Inuyasha, furious from the rude awakening.

"Oh, yeah this is Boo," she explained. The cat's whole demeanor changed as it snuggled into the arms of its owner and started purring, "He's kind of a handful," when the cat looked back at Inuyasha, it was as if he was smiling, victoriously.

"_Is he mocking me?"_ wondered Inuyasha, his temper flaring.

Chelsea set Boo down outside her room and closed the door behind her. Coming up to Inuyasha she sat down beside him on the bed, "I think he's jealous of you. He usually has all of my attention," she smiled, holding out her index finger, it glowed a strange light blue… it was different from her usual light, and instead of burning when she touched his cheek, it healed the cat scratches.

"How did you do that?" he asked.

"I guess when I got my powers back, I got some new ones as well," explained Chelsea, "I'm sorry he scratched you."

"Don't worry about it," he replied, rubbing his cheek, "In any case, you wanted to go somewhere right?"

Chelsea nodded, "Kagome and I were getting ready. Why don't you take a shower and I'll wash your clothes for you."

"You sure I won't get funny looks dressed this way?" he wondered.

"I'm sure you will," she shrugged, "but it's what you're comfortable in. That's all that matters to me."

Chelsea taught Inuyasha how to use the shower head. Kagome's house only had a bathtub, so a shower would be a new experience for Inuyasha. Chelsea's shower head enabled one to pull it off the hook and hold it if wanted. It also had different settings, like a massage feature and so on. She showed him how to adjust the temperature and to shut off the water once he was finished. After she walked out of the bathroom, Inuyasha held out his clothes to her through a small crack of the door.

She gently hand washed them, and let them tumble dry in the drier. It felt nice being able to take care of Inuyasha. She didn't have to feel guilty about it anymore.

As Inuyasha finished up in the bathroom, he wrapped a towel around his waist as instructed by Chelsea previously, and wandered into the hallway. He felt pretty embarrassed; being so exposed like that, "Hey, Chelsea! Do you have my clothes?" When he looked down to the ground, Chelsea's cat was sitting there, smiling, "What do you want?" growled Inuyasha, turning to enter Chelsea's room. The cat exposed its claws, jerking on the towel, causing it to fall.

"Here you go Inuya—" Chelsea just so happened to come down the hallway the instant gravity took over on the towel. Her eyes were wide, her cheeks… like a fire truck.

And if you think her expression was priceless… a scream of utter terror exploded from Inuyasha's lips.

"Calm down, I didn't see that much," Chelsea consoled him as they sat in her room once more.

He was so embarrassed he couldn't even look at her, "Whatever. I don't care."

Chelsea watched him stare out her window, avoiding all eye contact. Coming up behind him, she started working the knots out of his hair with a brush. She was so gentle, making sure not to pull on his hair, "I hope you're prepared for our little adventure today. Kagome's so excited… and I am too. I haven't been to the city in quite some time…"

Inuyasha sat silently, still traumatized over the incident before, but feeling less tense as she ran that brush through his hair.

Locking her arms around his shoulders, she rested her chin on the top of his head, "Thank you for coming with me… I would have missed you so badly otherwise…"

His eyes started to shimmer. Her voice, her words… they all meant so much to him, "We should get going… don't you think?"

Chelsea pulled away, "Yep."

_12:07 PM - Zoo_

"Wow, look at that," breathed Kagome, observing the giraffes.

"It's huge… what did you call it again?" Inuyasha asked.

"A giraffe," Chelsea giggled.

Kagome snapped a photo on her camera, "Mom told me to take lots of pictures."

As they continued on, Inuyasha couldn't believe all the weird animals that existed. He had no clue just how many different ones there were. The more he saw, the more he realized just how big the world was. It was all so overwhelming. He thought the places in the feudal era were all this world had to offer, but this made him realize just how small he was in the grand scheme of things.

_1:40PM – Science Center_

"Looks like a ball on a pole to me," huffed Inuyasha, staring at the silver sphere sitting atop the pole.

"Place your hand on it," Chelsea insisted. Inuyasha seemed hesitant, "Go ahead, you'll be fine."

Inuyasha outstretched his hand, hesitated momentarily, and then pressed his palm to the sphere. Looking around him, his hair seemed to be floating on air.

"It's called static electricity," Chelsea explained, as Kagome captured the moment on camera.

_2:51PM – Art Museum_

"This is one of my favorite places to visit," Chelsea said, taking in all the lovely pieces around her.

This place's atmosphere was so calming. Everyone around them just seemed so focused on the pieces of artwork. Some of them even made Inuyasha stop and stare. It was amazing how talented humans could be. Stuff like this was proof of how beautiful the world was through certain people's eyes. All it took was some colorful paint and a whole lot of patience to produce such beauty.

"I believe it's called Starry Night by Van Gogh… he's a very famous artist," Chelsea told Inuyasha, "If you ask just about anyone who they think of first when you say artist or painter, they will probably say Van Gogh… artists like Van Gogh, Picasso, Michael Angelo… all different… but all made an impact with just a few brush strokes… they made themselves apart of history."

Inuyasha was intrigued, listening to Chelsea talk about the artwork. She certainly knew a lot about it all. Though half of it he didn't really understand, he could tell she really loved it. Seeing her so happy, it made him feel just the same.

_4:30PM – Botanical Gardens_

"I figured I'd save this for last Inuyasha," Chelsea smiled, "since I think you'll like it the best."

So many different flowers and tranquil streams. He couldn't believe they could build such a peaceful place that was so natural and wondrous. This seemed like a place one could just be in for hours and clear their head; A sanctuary for the weary at heart.

Inuyasha and Chelsea stood atop a bridge shaped in an arch-like style. It ran over a small river that was surrounded by strong trees and lovely flowers, "So what do you think?" she asked.

"From what I've seen," Inuyasha murmured, "It's really something special… this place… everything you've showed me today…"

Chelsea looked as though her mind was elsewhere as she leaned against the railing of the bridge, watching the water flow underneath them.

"Have you had fun?" he asked concerned.

"Yeah," she half-smiled, "just sort of anxious about going home… dad'll probably be home by now… he's gonna be so upset with me…" a leaf fell into the stream and was whisked away.

"Why?" he asked.

"I didn't say goodbye to him before I left… which thinking back on it now… if something had happened to me… I'd have felt really bad… not being able to tell my dad I love him…" she seemed so lost in the moment.

"Don't you think he'll just be happy to see you again?" asked Inuyasha, raising his eyebrow.

"Even if he is happy, he won't show it," Chelsea looked up at the sky, "My dad kind of has a bad temper you see," she spoke so casually, "that's where I get mine from and we butt heads a lot… though we're so much alike… there's a lot we disagree on…"

Inuyasha listened to her words, trying to understand her further, but struggling. Just as he was about to speak, he heard the snap of Kagome's camera stealing another moment from them, "Pull together you two," Kagome grinned, "let me get a picture of you together."

Chelsea moved closer to Inuyasha, as he put his arm around her. When Kagome took the picture, she realized just how far they had come. It was true… Inuyasha was born to save Chelsea, and she was born to protect him. Even if Isamu had lived, she had a feeling the two would have still crossed paths. They still would have seen something in each other that made them feel vulnerable. They still would have fallen in love.

_6:02 – Home_

"We're back," yelled Chelsea, coming into the door.

"Welcome home," Debbie smiled.

Her father appeared in the living room. The man looked tired, worn from hard work and age. Debbie had warned him of her peculiar friends before they had come home that evening, but when he laid eyes on the boy, his eyes seemed to turn serious, "Tell me boy, what are you intentions with my daughter?"

Inuyasha suddenly felt two inches tall. The man's glare was enough to see right through you and back. Plus, he had no idea what the guy had just said!

"Dad, he can't speak English," Chelsea sighed, "he has no idea what you just said."

"What kind of a man can't even speak English?" barked her father.

"Curt, give the boy a break. I told you he's not from around here… not even of this time," Debbie huffed, already irritated with her overbearing husband.

"And you!" he pointed his finger at his daughter, "Don't think you're getting off the hook after running off to your dog boy Romeo here!"

"But dad—" Chelsea protested.

"I'd assume you'd have seen this coming by now," Curt said, crossing his arms.

"Kagome, take Inuyasha to my room, okay?" asked Chelsea, her voice small.

"Sure," nodded Kagome, taking Inuyasha by the arm and guiding him to the hallway. She had to force him a bit. He didn't want to leave Chelsea alone with the way her father was acting. What was with him? Acting so aggressive after not seeing his daughter for weeks.

"He's a spitting image of that boy who saved your life," muttered Curt, starting to pace around the room, "Did a boy honestly mean so much to you that you'd put your life on the line countless times just to be near him again? He's not Isamu, Chelsea. You're making a mistake trying to be with some half-beast who doesn't even belong in this time period! Don't try to fill the space with some boy who happens to resemble Isamu."

"Dad, just listen to me—" Chelsea started.

"I want you to take them back where you found them and go to college like you should be doing now. Since when did love mean more to you than your future? Get your priorities straight!" lectured her father.

"My priorities are straighter than they have ever been," Chelsea said sternly, "I'm so happy right now dad. He makes me so happy, and that happiness, that love, all of that is my future," she turned away from him, "So please don't be upset with me anymore… I'm not leaving because I want to screw up my life… I'm leaving because maybe the plans you had for me… aren't the ones in store for my next step forward… my next movement… but I will make my way just fine… and," she paused, smiling back at him, "I'll always come home."

Where had all the time gone? The daughter he once was able to hold in his arms… was now being held by another. Curt followed Chelsea into her room, his face emotionless, "I want you to be the translator Chelsea. I have a few choice words for that boy."

Chelsea sighed, "but dad—"

"My daughter is very special," he started, and she reluctantly repeated him in Japanese, "She's all I've got. The one right thing I've done my whole life. I love her with all of my heart," he paused, as she repeated him, "I knew there would come a day when one day she'd no longer be mine, but a father has a really hard time letting his little girl go… so please… take care of her for me."

Inuyasha looked deeply into the man's eyes, "Chelsea, repeat my every word," he instructed and she followed his order, "Your daughter is very smart, beautiful, and also… the one thing I've also done right," he explained, "I know you feel like she might be slipping from you, but she'll always be your daughter," Inuyasha stopped briefly, then continued, "I've seen her become such a strong person… and now that I've met her parents, I know why she's so tough… but no matter how strong she gets… I swear to you, until my heart pumps its last beat… my heart, it's hers… for as long as she wants it…" by now, Chelsea started choking on the words, her eyes swelling with tears. Was that truly how Inuyasha felt about her?

Slowly, a small smile spread across her father's face, "I see," he muttered, "That's all I needed to hear," he turned around to leave the room, satisfied, "But if you think you're going to sleep in the same bed as my daughter, think again," his smile turned into a wicked grin as he left the room.

Inuyasha's heart dropped; relieved the man hadn't been there the night before. At once Chelsea was holding him tightly and he felt at ease again, "Quit your blubbering, come on…" he huffed, pulling her into an embrace.

That night Inuyasha was banished to the guest bedroom. He felt so alone in there. Why couldn't he sleep with Chelsea? It wasn't like anything was going to happen. He felt a strange sensation come over him as he looked down at his hands. His claws were disappearing. So that's why he felt so strange today… the night of the new moon was upon him once more. He sat back in the bed which held no soothing scent of Chelsea. As his now black bangs fell over his eyes, he sighed, "Dammit…"

The door opened a crack and his eyes immediately darted to the door. Staring back at him was those lovely jaded eyes he adored, "What're you doing?" he whispered.

"Sneaking," she replied, coming into the room and closing the door behind her. She was dressed in a PJ set; tank top and short shorts. Inuyasha's face grew warm, but he wasn't exactly sure why. He hated being human, it made his desires all the more hard to resist. Chelsea sat in front of him, staring at him thoughtfully, "New moon huh?"

"Yeah," he said, looking away, trying to keep his eyes off of her, "You should go back to your room, if your dad finds out you're in here, he'll throw a fit again…"

"He's asleep now… believe me, nothing wakes that man…" she muttered, recalling her father's vicious snoring habits. She crawled over close to him, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," he answered simply.

"Liar," she protested.

"Nothing is wrong," he barked, looking into her eyes.

She ran her fingers through his hair and he felt his chest start to ache. It was so much worse when he was a human, "Whose hair are you stroking? Mine or Isamu's?"

"Not this again…" she sighed, "I already told you… it's you I want Inuyasha."

Inuyasha tightened his jaw, "Heh, right…"

"What is wrong with you?" she questioned, standing up from the bed, "Look, if you want me gone… fine, I'm going."

Inuyasha grabbed her arm in one swift motion, and spun her into his arms where he passionately pressed his lips to hers, "You're such an idiot…" he mumbled, resting his forehead against hers.

"Inuyasha," she was blushing, "You're sweating…"

He smiled, but it was in a strange way, "Yeah," he replied, "I guess… I'm just frustrated… I didn't mean to snap at you like that… I know how you feel about me…" he felt this desire to pull her onto the bed, but resisted and pulled himself away instead, "I… I'd really like it if you stayed here… with me…"

"What are you frustrated about?" she asked. She sat down on the bed, "You know I'll stay with you, but what's bothering you?"

He shook his head, "Nothing," he sat down beside her, feeling so irritated on the inside.

"You can be such a pain the ass," she whispered.

"Thanks a lot!" he growled.

"Well it's true," she said flatly.

"I just… I hate it on the night of the new moon," he sighed, "my human emotions run wild… I don't know what my boundaries are with you… I just… argh—forget it!" he couldn't explain what he meant.

She half-smirked, "You're not used to feeling desire for someone, are you Inuyasha?"

His face turned red, matching his attire, "Just be quiet…"

She laughed a little, and laid back on the bed, "Come on, lay down with me. You'll feel better in the morning."

God, he sure hoped so. Still the fact that he'd get to sleep beside her after all was a relief, "Your stupid cat better not wake me up," he growled under his breath, curling up under the covers with her.

"Don't worry, I'll make sure to keep the door shut if I get up before you tomorrow," she assured him. Kissing him gently on the cheek where he had been scratched, she pressed her lips to his human ear, "Goodnight,"

He felt a chill come over him, "Goodnight," he murmured.

Soon the two drifted off to sleep…

Author's Notes: So cute! xD I love awkward Inuyasha. Hope you all enjoyed this chapter… I had a lot of fun writing it. xD See you at the next one!

"_I just want you close,_

_Where you can stay forever…"_

_~No One, Alicia Keys_


	22. Chapter 22: Trip to America Pt 3

The Bond of Silver and Gold

Chapter 22: Trip to America Pt. 3

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of the original characters, plot, or storyline. I only own my fan-made character and her story.

The next morning when the sun rose over the horizon, Inuyasha stirred much earlier than he had done the day before. He even awoke before Chelsea, the slumbering beauty beside him, who he had come to adore so much. She had the blankets half kicked off, with one of her hands placed beneath her head under the pillow, and her other stretched over her head. She looked so tranquil laying there, her hair a curly mess of golden waves. He leaned over her, studying her pale face, right down to her exposed stomach, which still had the scars from his claws.

It had been such a long time since then, when he had been bewitched by a demon and Chelsea had allowed herself to be attacked in order to awaken him. Instinctively, he ran his fingers across her stomach, causing her to giggle gently in her sleep and roll over away from him. Shaking his head, he leaned in, catching a whiff of her hair and stealing a kiss from the rim of her ear.

Carefully crawling out of bed he stretched and exited the room. Roaming down the hall, the house seemed calm and quiet. As he walked through the home, he noticed Chelsea's devilish cat curled up in a ball on one of the chairs in the family room, "Stupid cat…" thought Inuyasha.

That's when he heard the _fwack_ of something tough being cut out in the back yard. Pushing open the back door, he watched at a distance as Chelsea's father swung away at logs with an axe. He was splitting them in two, but he seemed almost too old to be doing that. Inuyasha could see he was feeling fatigued. Approaching the aged, protective man, the man wiped sweat from his brow and caught the sight of the strangely dressed boy who sudden had stolen his precious daughter's heart, "What'dyou want? Huh?" asked her father, though it really was hopeless trying to communicate with him.

Inuyasha could see the man's irritation. That much he understood just by looking at him. How could he communicate with him? Inuyasha could hack at that wood all day, and he was willing to do it, if it meant making her father trust him more. Inuyasha gently nudged the man aside and unsheathed his Tetsusaiga. Slicing the piece that was sitting atop the giant log, Inuyasha looked to the man, pointed to himself, and then to the pile of uncut wood.

Chelsea's father stared at the boy, half-surprised by what he was getting at, "You want to cut the wood?" he wondered. Her father nodded, "Thank you… my body's not what it used to be…" he laughed at himself, "Why bother trying to explain, you can't understand me anyway…" he turned away from the youth starting down to his work shed.

"_I don't know what you just said old man,"_ thought Inuyasha, _"but I'll chop at this all day if I have to. It won't faze me at all…" _with a smirk on his face, Inuyasha started lining up multiple pieces of wood, taking them down with ease. As the sun started to rise overhead, he felt himself start to sweat, but didn't let that slow him down.

Back inside the house, Kagome watched Inuyasha's determination for Chelsea's father's approval.

"Kagome," Chelsea appeared in the living room, having slept in fairly late, "have you seen Inuyasha?"

"Take a look," Kagome said, motioning toward the window.

Chelsea stared out the window, watching Inuyasha working up a sweat as he swung at the wood with his sword. Chelsea sighed, "My dad better not have put him to work…"

"Do you think he knows you slept in the same bed together?" asked Kagome.

Chelsea's heart dropped, "I hope not…"

As Inuyasha continued the labor, he spotted Chelsea coming up to him, dressed in long boy shorts and a tank top. Though she didn't dress or act like a girly-girl, he loved how much of a tomboy she was, "Here," she said, hanging him a cold bottled water.

He took a long gulp and wiped his mouth, "Thanks."

"No problem… did dad make you do this?" asked Chelsea.

"No, he was trying to do it by himself earlier this morning, so I volunteered to do it," Inuyasha explained, tossing her the bottle.

"I'm sure you've done enough for now. Why don't you take a break?" asked Chelsea.

"Nah, I'm almost done and then I can start stacking it. It'll only take me a little longer. Why don't you go hang out with Kagome until I'm done. I don't want to be distracted," Inuyasha answered.

Chelsea was surprised, but then again, determination might as well be Inuyasha's middle name, "Alright, just don't let yourself get overheated."

Inuyasha took off his top robes, leaving only his baggy pants, "Here," he tossed her his clothes, "take those… they're what's making me sweat."

Chelsea grinned, being happier than she should be seeing so much of his flesh, "Okay," she murmured, blushing as she walked off.

All the while her father observed the two exchange words from his shed, noticing that the boy didn't walk off from his responsibilities like most might have done once approached by the person they cared for. This left a lasting impression on the man as he continued to work on some other project.

Later, Curt walked up to the place where Inuyasha had been swinging his sword for a couple of hours to find all the wood neatly stacked in three separate piles. There Inuyasha sat on the giant stump, catching his breath. Curt smiled, "Good job, kid."

Inuyasha got to his feet; placing his sword back in his sheath. He wished he knew how to speak their language in that moment. Her father seemed pleased, but he wondered if maybe he needed help with something else.

Her father nodded, "Go on, get going. I'm sure Chelsea's looking for you."

Inuyasha heard Chelsea's name. He wanted him to go to her? Inuyasha raised and lowered his head. Turning he started back for the house.

"_Good kid… a lot more respectable than most these days…"_ thought the man.

Inuyasha came into Chelsea's room, sticky from sweat, his face red from sunburn. In fact, most of his upper body was slightly coated with red, "You poor thing," Chelsea sighed, "you got burned pretty badly. Mom told me this has been one of the worst summers we've had… I was worried…" Inuyasha sat down on the bed, staring at his hands. When Chelsea got a look at them, her face went from worry and melted into shock, "Look at all the splinters you have…"

"It's no big deal," Inuyasha shrugged, feeling immense pain from his whole body. This was even a lot on him; he couldn't imagine what it must have been like for her father.

"I'll have to try to get them out… hold on," after Chelsea retrieved some tweezers, she had one hell of a time trying to get Inuyasha to hold still long enough for her to pull all of the splinters out. His hands felt worse than before when the splinters were still in place. Was she trying to kill him! "I'm going to run you a hot bath okay? It'll soothe you," she smiled, starting for her door once again. He stood up quickly and grabbed her wrist through the pain.

"You don't have to get so worked up over some red skin and splinters," he pulled his hand away; "I'm fine." He really wanted to say_, "I haven't gotten to see you all day…"_ but that just wasn't his style.

"You're getting a bath," Chelsea huffed, "You've covered in sweat and your body is sore. Just let me take care of you, okay?" she groaned, irritated by how much he seemed to refuse her help.

Once settled into the hot water, Inuyasha felt his body rinse with relief. He was so tired he felt like he could fall asleep in there, but he had a close encounter like that once and wasn't about to let that happen again. When Chelsea came into her room, she couldn't believe Inuyasha was already there getting dressed. As he worked on pulling his arms through the sleeves, he paused to stare at her.

Chelsea walked up to him, and slowly started to remove his robes. His face flushed deeper red, "What're you doing?"

"Let me rub this aloe on your burns," she instructed, showing him the bottle.

In that moment, it felt as if she was… "Would you cut it out? I said I'm fine!"

She rested her head against his bare chest. His skin felt so warm, "Please… it'll ease that warm uncomfortable feeling…"

He couldn't believe how determined she was to take care of him. Sighing, he pulled away from her and sat on the bed, "Whatever…"

Gathering up his hair she flung it over his shoulder and started applying the aloe to his back. It was so cold that he instantly got goose bumps. Chelsea's gentle touch didn't help the situation. As she ran her hand up to his bare shoulder and down that arm, he received a chill, "Sorry," she apologized, her face turning red from his response, "Do you want me to stop?"

How could he possibly answer that? Of course he didn't want her to. He felt so close to her right now. Gathering up his hair, he pulled it over to his other shoulder, exposing the one that hadn't had aloe applied to it, "If you do this shoulder… I can take care of the rest…" he mumbled quietly.

As Chelsea rubbed aloe on that shoulder and down his arm, her hand paused on his wrist and then she pulled her hand away. Grinning nervously, she stood up and handed him the bottle, "All done," when she looked at him, his eyes were different somehow. He was looking deep inside her, searching inside her soul, "Inuyasha?"

Slowly he stood up and placed his hand under her chin, raising her head. Leaning in he was just about to indulge in her sweet, tender lips when suddenly, "Chelsea!" boomed her father, bursting into the room.

With one word, their moment was ruined.

The two sat by side on the bed, heads lowered in defeat. They mentally prepared themselves for a lecture about messing around and being teenagers… well that was Chelsea, Inuyasha was ready to hear the inaudible sounds coming from her father, like the sound that comes from Charlie Brown's teacher.

"I just want you to translate a little for me," her father said, his arms crossed.

"Alright…" Chelsea said skeptically.

"I just wanted to thank you for the help today," Curt began and Chelsea translated, "I was able to get a lot more done with you handling that for me. That's all."

Inuyasha looked slightly surprised, "Tell him I said if he ever needs an extra hand to not be afraid to ask…" he looked sort of embarrassed, "though I probably won't understand him if he does…"

Chelsea repeated Inuyasha and then half-smiled, "I'll teach him some English soon, promise," she told her father.

"That's all I wanted to say," shrugged the man, "you kids have fun," with that he left the room.

"Phew!" Chelsea was relieved, "Glad that's all he wanted…" she looked irritated, _"He didn't have to barge in here just to say that… maybe he thought he'd try to catch us in the act… but… Inuyasha's eyes before… what was he getting at?"_

"Hey," Inuyasha mumbled, and Chelsea turned her eyes to him, "Thanks… for taking care of me I mean…"

"It's no problem," Chelsea replied, smiling nervously, "I enjoy taking care of you. You're always so worried about everyone else; you need someone to do the same for you."

A small smile appeared on his face, "Who needs someone when I've got you?" he said nonchalantly, lying back on the bed with his arms behind his head, "You worry too much. You know I bounce back from these things a lot quicker than a human."

"That may be," Chelsea murmured, "but no matter how quickly you heal, my heart will always worry over the smallest nick or near death experience… that's what you do when someone's… your world."

Inuyasha stared at the back of her head as she sat there quietly. Gently, he took her arm and pulled her onto him, her upper body resting against him, but didn't say anything. He really didn't know what to say. No one ever loved him the way she did.

"I realized when we were at the botanical garden you know…" she whispered, resting her head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat, "I'll always be home when I'm with you…" The two laid there in silence, feeding off of it. They were trying to figure out what to say to one another. Chelsea lifted her head to look him in the eyes, "Speaking of home… we're heading back tomorrow. So be excited, you won't have to listen to jibber jabber anymore."

Inuyasha laughed through his nose, "Yeah," he cautiously ran his fingers through her hair, pulling it away from her face as she hovered above him, "but are you okay with leaving?"

Chelsea nodded, "Yeah, it's nice to come home once and while, but I miss Shippo and the others. Plus, my dad's driving me crazy. I feel like I have to walk on pins and needles around him."

"That makes two of us," Inuyasha replied flatly. He was happy to hear they were going back to Japan and the well. While Chelsea's country was beautiful and filled with a lot to discover, Inuyasha needed his freedom back to do whatever he pleased.

Chelsea settled back down, resting her head on Inuyasha's chest, "I'm glad you and Kagome came with me… I'd have missed you guys so much otherwise…"

Inuyasha knew he'd have been going crazy by now. Shippo would be irritating the hell out of him, and he'd have missed her as well. He was glad he came too, to see what her country was like, to meet her family… minus the stupid cat. It really was a nice place to visit, but he was happy Chelsea seemed more attached to the feudal era. He could see himself with her forever… maybe.

Author's Notes: And were heading back to Japan next chapter. I really enjoyed writing these America chapters. The cat being one of my favorite parts. There seems to be a little lovers tension between these two, but will it spring into something more? ;) You'll have to wait and see!

"_So if it's just tonight_

_The animal inside, let it live then die_

_Like it's the end of time_

_Like everything inside_

_Let it live then die."_

_~Animal, Kesha_


	23. Chapter 23: Eyes of the Phoenix

The Bond of Silver and Gold

Chapter 23: Eyes of the Phoenix

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of the original characters, plot, or storyline. I only own my fan-made character and her story.

Chelsea had one thing she needed to do before they returned to the well that day. How was it that every time she seemed to return to him, to this spot, it was always raining? She brought an umbrella with her, not for herself, but for him while she spoke with him. There, at her feet was his grave stone, along with the iris flowers she had brought for him. Getting down on her knees she smiled, "Hey there," she murmured aloud, "I just wanted to visit you…" she felt herself instantly getting emotional, "…I know you're always right there… you've helped me all this way…"

Inuyasha knew exactly where Chelsea went when she said she was _"going for a walk". _He listened outside the graveyard, drenched down to his bones. His pride ached inside.

"I…" she paused, "I really love you Isamu… that'll never change, and you know that… I'll come visit this grave site for the rest of my life, because you gave me purpose… to protect Inuyasha," she ran her fingers across his name, "And I've never loved someone so much in my life… he's everything to me…" tears were washed from her face by the raindrops, "thank you… for leading me to him…"

Inuyasha slowly walked up to her after listening to her conversation with Isamu, "Hey," he greeted quietly.

"Hey," Chelsea smiled, standing to her feet. She noticed how wet he was. He looked so… lovely, his hair wet and messy, yet there was a sadness in his expression. She tilted the umbrella over his head, "Silly, you're all wet."

"So're you," he replied.

"It's a good look for you," she smirked.

A small smile appeared on his face. Shaking off the water like a dog, he managed to get her even more wet, "Doesn't look bad on you either," he joked sarcastically, walking away, "Come on, let's go back to Kagome's and wait for the rain to pass."

She linked her arm with his, "'Kay," she said, resting her head against him, letting the umbrella shield them both.

Inuyasha stole a glance from her, genuinely amazed how someone could even look beautiful in the rain.

As they walked into the house, Chelsea started to take off her soggy shoes, when Kagome walked into the hall. Seeing them all wet, her face was filled with astonishment, "It must be really raining out there. I'll go grab you guys some towels."

The two sat in silence, inside Kagome's quiet bedroom. Each had their own towel and while Chelsea was drying her hair with hers, Inuyasha had his thrown lazily over his shoulder. He didn't really care that he was wet, even if he did feel sort of cold.

Chelsea crawled over to him and started roughly running the towel over his soaked hair, "What're you doing?" he groaned, blinded by the towel.

"Drying you off, what does it look like?" she asked, removing the towel to see his beautiful hair in ruins. She smiled seeing him look so frazzled. Taking out her brush she started working through the knots in his hair.

He sat there, letting her do as she pleased to him. It always seemed like this is how it was. She was always taking care of him, but never allowed him to see her vulnerable enough for him to pamper. However, he did notice something back at the grave site, "You're favoring your left leg," he murmured.

"Hmm?" Chelsea continued brushing that long, lovely mess of silver, "Oh, yeah, I think I might have twisted something on my walk to Isamu's grave. The pavement was wet so I slid a little. It's no big deal though, I can walk just fine."

"Right," he huffed, "that's why you were leaning on me the whole way home, right?"

Chelsea blushed and pulled away from him. Taking a seat on Kagome's bed, (She was dressed in dry clothing now, so she wasn't getting it wet), she stared down at him, "Like I said, I'm fine, don't worry about it," lying back on the bed she stared up at the ceiling, listening to the pounding of rain on the roof. That's when she felt something tug at her leg. Inuyasha decided to investigate one way or another.

He pressed his thumb to the bottom of her foot while he held it. Her reaction he was not expecting, as she giggled and pulled away from him quickly, "Why're you so jumpy!" he barked.

Chelsea looked nervous, "No reason."

Inuyasha's eyes narrowed, trying to figure her out. Was she in that much pain and she didn't want him to know about it, or was it something else entirely? "Tell me," he growled.

"Come on Inuyasha," she was starting to sweat, "I mean it…" Inuyasha ran his fingernails gently across the bottom of her other foot. This sent her rocketing for the ceiling as she hugged her legs tightly against her, "Stop it! I'm ticklish," she whined.

"Oh really?" he grinned, coming closer to her now.

Chelsea started to panic. This playful side was very rare on Inuyasha, but when it arose it was such a surprise, "Don't do it, or I'll tickle you!"

Hearing such a hollow threat he pinned her down and started tickling her, "Yeah right!" he snorted, "as if I'd be ticklish!"

Chelsea flailed about until the two of them were knotted up and rolled off the bed, smacking the ground. Chelsea was lying on top of him, staring down at him, "Uh, you okay?" she murmured.

He opened his eyes and looked up at her. Clasping his hand to the back of her head, he pulled her into a warm, welcoming kiss. She accepted it happily, feeling herself drawn to him. That's when the door opened, and Chelsea retreated quickly, scampering off of Inuyasha.

"Am I interrupting?" Kagome nervously stammered with a bit of irritation.

"Not at all," Chelsea grinned, knowing it was a big lie.

Kagome turned around, "It stopped raining a bit ago… I wanted to know if you two wanted to go back now?"

"Sure thing!" Chelsea said, getting to her feet.

Kagome left the room as quickly as she came. She was happy for them, but sometimes there were little surges of jealousy that couldn't help, but cloud her heart.

Chelsea's face was still red from one: not being able to breathe while he fiercely tickled her, and two: from his suddenly oh so enjoyable smack on the lips. She was almost afraid to meet his gaze again, but when she did, it was like he had been staring at her the whole time. Coming up closer to her now, he rested his forehead against her temple, "We should get going," he murmured.

"Yeah," she agreed, "I know." It felt like there was something more that Inuyasha wanted to say by the way he spoke, but she decided not to press him on the matter for now.

When the gang was reunited, there was a lot of joy and hugs all around. There was so many stories to tell from all ends, and of course Chelsea had treats to give to little Shippo as well. As they set off on their next journey, Sango mentioned hearing about a nearby village that was rumored to have possession of at least one jewel shard. Hearing that, the gang decided it would be their first stop.

"I think it might be dangerous though," Sango explained, "I think they're all women… I heard from nearby village that they never see from the men who enter that village again."

"Yes," Miroku nodded, "I've also heard rumors about this place. The village is made up of beautiful women, with no traces of men whatsoever."

"I wonder why that is?" Kagome wondered.

"I'm not sure," Chelsea said, her thoughts deep, "Miroku, Shippo, Inuyasha… I want you guys to sit this one out."

"What are you saying?" Inuyasha barked, "We can't just sit back and let you girls go in all alone!"

"She's right," Sango murmured, "I have heard the women might be responsible for the men's disappearance. They say they are a group of women who have been battered by men and in turn despise them. If you guys come along, something might happen to you."

"We can't just stand by and not come with you," Miroku protested gently.

"Get real," Chelsea grimaced, "You just want to be around all of the women."

"That's for sure," Sango agreed.

"I am simply worried about the safety of you ladies," Miroku said.

"Whatever," Inuyasha chimed in, "You're not going in there alone, period."

"How are we supposed to let you guys come with us though?" wondered Kagome.

Chelsea thought about this, "Well, we could always…"

Next thing the boys knew, they felt very humiliated, as they miserably walked behind the girls, dressed in drag. Each had make-up on, and their tops stuffed. At least they all wore baggy clothing. Shippo simply transformed into a female fox, but his embarrassment still matched the other two boys. Inuyasha was pissed that he had to be reduced to such crap. Miroku, wearing a long black wig, was hoping to score with one of the women, not become one himself.

The moment they stepped into the village, they immediately felt uneasy. This place was able to give one chills all the way down to the half-digested food in the basement of their stomachs. They were immediately approached by three women.

The leading lady seemed to be their boss. Her figure was that of an hourglass. Her jet black hair long and flowing passed her bottom. Her eyes a crystal blue that appeared to ripple and churn like the restless sea. She was enchanting by far, but her two followers were also lovely.

One had brown hair, short and bob cut, her lips full and rich like a wine glass. Her make-up was intensely vibrant colored. She seemed to favor the flavors of crimson most. Her left eyebrow slightly perked, as if she was always scheming.

The other was much less confident looking then the other two. Her expression was cold, much like her pale complexion. Her eyes were a mix of blue and green like her feelings of envy and sorrow which seemed to wash around inside her soul and call out through her irises. Her hair was tied up in a bun with green and blue ribbons tied up in a fancy fashion to match her eyes. Her lips were curved in a hill shape, which seemed to represent her sadness further: an obstacle, like a mountain, that one could not overcome.

The boss seemed to be eying Chelsea quite intensely, "Foreigner…" she whispered.

"Definitely not from around here," whispered the wine blossomed lady.

"Quite western I do believe…" spoke the other softly.

The leader carried a cane with her, the head of it resembling a phoenix. She held it out, pressing it against Inuyasha's stomach, "A half demon…" she cooed, "Tell me dear, what is your story?"

Chelsea chimed in, "She was abused by her father growing up, and wasn't accepted by her demon brethren… it was so traumatic, it rendered her mute."

"Really?" smirked the woman, twisting her cane into his stomach and then tapping the hilt of the Tetsusaiga with the tip of her cane, "Quite the piece of junk she carries with her."

The corner of Inuyasha's lip arched with irritation.

"What is your name?" Chelsea quickly changed the subject.

"My apologies, my name is Masami, I am the leader of this village. This is Ayaka and Kiku, they're my assistants," explained the boss.

"What is it you do here exactly?" Sango wondered, "Is it true you take in battered women?"

"Come with me," nodded Masami, "I will explain as I show you around," the woman started to lead them to a giant house of sorts with many corridors. This must be the main house were all the women stayed, "A long time ago I was married to a man who was actually hell bent on killing me… I became pregnant with our first child when he set fire to our home and ran off without ever showing his face again… I lost the baby…" The group passed many women. Sango had to hold onto Miroku so he wouldn't wander off and get them found out, "I suffered a terrible loss, and terrible sadness, but I rose above it… and created this village… for women like me… who had been betrayed by the only person they really loved. Here, there are women who have been beaten, raped, and who knows what else. The stories I hear sometimes seem like fiction, but I refuse no woman from this village. Here, they can finally rest knowing they're safe from all men."

Chelsea stared down at the woman's cane, "The phoenix is a symbol for rebirth… that means something dear to you doesn't it?"

Masami was very surprised by how perceptive this girl was, "It would appear that not only your looks are impressive darling," she turned to Chelsea and grabbed her chin, examining her closer, "I treat each of these girls as my own. They are all my daughters and I love them very much. Please feel free to stay here as long as you wish."

Kagome got a closer look at the eyes of the phoenix on Masami's cane, _"Two shards…"_ she thought, _"we found them… but how to get them?"_

"Come with me," Masami smiled, putting her arm around Chelsea and guiding her elsewhere, "I have yet to hear your name, but I wish to know your story most of all…"

Inuyasha had to restrain himself as best as he could. Where was that witch taking her?

Sango directed her attention to the other two girls who still stood with them, "What happens to the men who visit this village… you must get some traveling through?"

Ayaka, the wine blossom, smirked wickedly, "It's all based upon Lady Masami's judgment."

"You there," said the quiet one, Kiku, "come with me. I shall show you to your room," she was referring to Miroku who felt he might actually luck out after all.

Sango watched him walk off with the woman and tried to contain herself, _"Dirty monk…"_ she looked back to Ayaka, "What do you mean judgment?"

Kagome leaned over and whispered to Inuyasha, "It's strange… there are little girls here… but how can that be?" she paused, "Something just isn't right about all of this…"

"She decides whether they will be beaten to death, used as a matter of reproduction, or eliminated instantly. It's all based on a scale of worth," explained Ayaka, "So tell me… what worth does that half breed male have?" her expression turned gleefully evil.

They all were stunned. This whole time… they were aware that Inuyasha was a male?_ "Then that must mean…"_ Sango's eyes bulged, "Miroku!" in a split second she raced off to find the idiot monk she always seemed to be saving. Weren't the roles supposed to be the other way around?

"Inuyasha," Kagome glared at Ayaka, "Go find Chelsea… Masami's cane, the phoenix's eyes are two sacred jewel shards…"

Inuyasha was reluctant to leave Kagome by herself, "Will you be alright?" he asked.

"I'll buy you time, go!" commanded Kagome, forcing an arrow into her bow.

Chelsea couldn't understand why this woman took her away, but she knew that she had cruel intentions. She went along with the act to unlock the secrets of this dreadful village.

"Your eyes and hair are exquisite colors," informed Masami.

Chelsea was starting to get weirded out, "You could say I'm not from around here,"

"Have you ever been flesh to flesh with a man before?" Masami asked boldly.

Chelsea's heart fluttered, "No,"

"Did you want to have children?" she pressed.

"Did? What do you mean?" Chelsea wondered.

"Well obviously if you are here that means you have been used by a man… but if you've never been intimate with one before," she pulled up the girl's shirt to reveal her stomach, "I see, abuse then," she was referring to the deep scar tissue Chelsea had from Inuyasha's attack way back when, "though this doesn't look human… did you cross hearts with a demon?"

"What difference does that make?" Chelsea asked, her tone more aggressive now.

"You can still have children you know," stated Masami, as she guided her into a room. Inside was a man shackled to the wall that was very bruised up and seemed to be starving, his body very frail. He seemed like a once strong man, now shriveled with defeat. Chelsea couldn't believe what she was seeing, "We use men like him to produce daughters."

Chelsea's face turned cold, "How could you?"

"Well isn't that obvious? Men use us for pleasure, so why can't we use them for daughters?" Masami was completely serious.

"You keep saying daughters, tell me…" Chelsea's jaw locked, "What do you do with the sons?"

"I think you know," smiled Masami, not feeling an inch of remorse for her actions.

"How could you? They're just children!" Chelsea's gaze returned to the man, who had just enough strength to lift his head.

"Don't you see? If you were to produce daughters, they would be beautiful and intelligent like yourself! I want daughters from you… my child." Masami grinned.

Inuyasha's smiling face and warm touch ran through Chelsea's mind, "You're right, I've never had the loving of a man… but I will someday… and when I do it will be with the one I love," Chelsea walked up to the man and unshackled him, catching him before he collapsed to the ground, "but this, this is just cruel… this man, I can tell he did nothing wrong to you. His soul has goodness in it… he was just passing through wasn't he! And you used him!"

"How is it any different than what _he_ did to me ten years ago?" cried Masami, lifting her cane and acting as if she was going to strike Chelsea with it. Chelsea saw a flash of the memory Masami had let control her life for so long.

"Stop!" shouted Chelsea, "He didn't leave you! He thought you were dead… he thought you were dead Masami!" Masami's cane hovered just centimeters from Chelsea's face, "Listen to me… he left your house to run some errands… when he returned to a home burned to ashes he thought you had died… so he left the village… he's probably still out there Masami! He's probably still searching, looking with hope that you and your son are still alive somewhere!"

"Silence!" Masami yelled, "That can't be true!" She reared back her cane to strike the girl, "He left me!"

In an instant, the cane was sliced in two by claws made of iron. Inuyasha was now in front of Chelsea, defending her, "Well, well, remember me?" smirked the half-demon.

"Inuyasha," Chelsea breathed.

"Maybe you'll remember my sword," said Inuyasha, unsheathing the Tetsusaiga.

"Do you think…?" Masami was suddenly on her knees, her eyes full of tears, "Do you really think he's still looking for me?"

Chelsea walked up to the woman and clasped her hands, "If there's one thing I know… it's that love is stubborn… and it finds its way to remain in our hearts for eternity. I know he's out there somewhere, I know he's looking for you."

The woman pressed her face to Chelsea's chest and sobbed, "The sons…"

"What?" Chelsea murmured.

"You knew I was going to have a son?" asked Masami.

"I saw him Masami…" it must have been a new power Chelsea had just experienced, "he was so beautiful."

"The sons…" she repeated, "I did not kill them… they're in the basement… fed, rested, but not nurtured by their mothers… you… you can free them now…"

When the dust had settled, it seemed the women of the village were very happy to be reunited with all the sons they had been separated from for so long. Chelsea had taught Masami a lesson in believing, a lesson she seemed to be getting good at teaching.

"Can I have the jewels in your cane?" Chelsea asked her.

"Sure, but whatever for?" Masami asked puzzled.

"My friends and I are collecting them," Chelsea answered.

Masami handed them over without a fuss. It appeared the woman had no idea of their power and was simply using them as a decoration, "Can I ask you just one question?"

"Okay," Chelsea replied.

"Those scars were given to you by that half-demon weren't they?" she asked, "And yet you yearn for him so…"

Chelsea smiled, "I love Inuyasha… those feelings are real… and I know it just by seeing those scars… they remind me of the struggle I went through to be with him."

"Chelsea!" called Kagome, with the rest of the group already leaving the once chaotic village.

"Coming!" cried Chelsea, "You take care of yourself! And don't worry! You're going to have a beautiful son one day! Mark my words!"

Masami smiled at the girl's encouragement, "Come back to visit any time!"

Chelsea caught up with her friends, "I don't understand why you always have to be a peace maker," groaned Inuyasha, "Those women were evil."

"Nah," Chelsea half-smiled, "they were just saddened by misunderstanding…"

"Such beautiful women and we're already leaving," sighed the monk.

"I don't know, you were pretty lovely back there Lady Miroku," teased Chelsea.

"Come on now, that's no way to treat a man," Miroku protested.

"Inuyasha's such a brute he didn't have any of them fooled for a second," laughed Shippo.

"Shut up Shippo," sneered Inuyasha.

"That's just because he's manly," grinned Chelsea, jabbing him with her elbow.

Inuyasha rolled his eyes, "You all get a kick out of jerking me around."

Author's Notes: I had a busy weekend and just now had time to update. I hope you enjoyed this long chapter and will send me many reviews of happiness. Haha, thanks for reading you guys, and I'll see you at the next chapter! =D

"_I tear my heart open,_

_I sow myself shut._

_My weakness is,_

_That I care too much._

_And our scars remind us,_

_The past is real._

_I tear my heart open,_

_Just to feel."_

_~Scars, Papa Roach_


	24. Chapter 24: Light in the Downpour

The Bond of Silver and Gold

Chapter 24: Light in the Downpour

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of the original characters, plot, or storyline. I only own my fan-made character and her story.

During their last battle, Kagome had suffered quite a few bruises and contusions from Ayaka. Do to Chelsea's newfound powers of healing, she was able to fix most of the pain, but still some remained. Inuyasha felt like he was to blame for Kagome getting hurt. He didn't really need to help Chelsea since she handled the situation all her own, but Kagome was much weaker than Chelsea…

It was so weird, but while Inuyasha was checking up on Kagome to make sure she was feeling alright, Chelsea decided to wander off on her own. She couldn't believe it... but she was a little jealous of the situation. She was a very jealous person, but it really wasn't anything to get upset over, right? Even though… Inuyasha and Kagome had history… that's what made it so difficult.

Chelsea found a quiet spot in the grass to pout to her content. Trying to take her mind off of it, she tried to figure out exactly how many jewel shards were left to be found. And after they were all found, then what? Would Inuyasha continue to have feelings for her? She hugged her knees and buried her face. Why was she being such a big baby? Inuyasha loved her, he wouldn't just up and change his mind, would he? That just wasn't his style.

"What's wrong? Are you feeling okay?" asked the concerned tone of voice, from the very person she was thinking of.

When she looked up at him, his expression seemed to grow more concerned. She hated that she was so bad at hiding her real emotions. Her face had to have looked just plain pitiful right now, but she… she loved him so much. It was like letting someone else hold your most precious treasure… for that instant, you worry you might not ever see it again, no matter how irrational that may be.

He sat down beside her, very close, and pressed the back of his hand to her forehead, "No fever," he murmured, "why the long face?"

She smiled a little, but it quickly faded as soon as it came, "No reason, just thinking… I get lost in all the thoughts sometimes…" She stretched her legs out and lay back in the grass nonchalantly. As she watched the clouds drift by she used her most casual tone, "So, how's Kagome?" it came out cross instead.

Inuyasha furrowed his eyebrows, "What's with you?" he had seen that look before. He used to wear it so comfortably whenever that mangy wolf was around Kagome so long ago. Was she seriously jealous? Letting a smirk spread across his lips, he moved to where he was hovering over her, his hands on either side of her head, "Are you actually jealous?" he laughed.

Chelsea's eyes turned away from his, "Of?"

"Don't play dumb," he retorted.

Chelsea sighed, "I'm not jealous. Leave me alone."

He shook his head, "I can't believe you," he rested his body against hers, placing his face against her neck, he felt the warmth of happiness on his cheeks, "You worry over the stupidest of things… silly girl…"

Was it really silly though? Inuyasha had a habit of running back to old girlfriends. Was Chelsea any different? She knew pointing this out would only start a feud between them, and the gentle sweetness of his breath on her neck was intoxicating. She started to snuggle him, "I'm sorry…" she finally said.

"For what?" he questioned.

"Being silly…" she replied, using his words.

"You should be sorry," he huffed, nuzzling closer to her neck.

This tickled her greatly. An array of goose bumps flooded her skin at the instant of his nose touching her skin.

"I wish we had more time… to spend like this," he admitted, "just you and I…"

This was surprisingly forward for him, "Really?"

"Well don't you?" he sat up, looking at her questionably.

"Of course I do," she answered, "I guess once all the shards are found we'll get to."

"You're right," he agreed, and then shook his head, "I can't believe you were jealous."

Chelsea's face twisted into a pout, "Hush! You wouldn't like some other man getting fresh with me would you?"

"Who said I was getting fresh with Kagome?" he wondered, offended.

"No one," she sighed, and stood to her feet, "It's not like I don't trust you… it's not like I don't trust Kagome… it's just…" Inuyasha stood up in front of her slowly. His eyes never leaving hers, but his expression very intense, "It's just," she repeated with a sigh, "You're my whole world Inuyasha… the thought of losing you… the idea of not being good enough… of you changing your mind…"

"Why would you think that?" he turned away from her, "actually," he paused, "there's something I've wanted to talk to you about…"

Chelsea's heart dropped. Was this the moment she had been dreading all along? A droplet fell on the tip of her nose… a rain drop? But the skies were so clear, "Hm?"

"What's wrong?" Inuyasha turned back to her, being torn from his thoughts.

"Nothing, I just… swore I felt a raindrop just now," Chelsea murmured, holding out her hand. Suddenly, a whoosh of water droplets danced and cascaded all around her, forming the figure of a person. From the raindrops sprang a man with long grey hair, light glistening blue eyes, and a gentle smile. His hand was now cradling Chelsea's.

He was no ordinary human, but in fact, from the looks of his pointed ears, he was a demon, "I've finally found you," he cooed, his voice smooth like satin, "Oh my dear,"

Inuyasha felt himself fill with rage, "Who the hell are you?" he barked, unsheathing the Tetsusaiga, "get your hands off of her," he swung his sword, breaking the clasp that the man had on Chelsea's hand. His arm which would have been hacked off by Inuyasha's blade was turned into water vapor and regenerated itself back to a solid state, "Huh?"

"Do I know you?" Chelsea asked.

"No my dear, but I know you," smiled the princely demon getting down on one knee, "You are the one known as Chelsea correct?"

"Uh yes," Chelsea stammered, feeling Inuyasha's glare tearing her to shreds, "but what is it you want with me?"

"It's quite simple really," he replied, "You are known as a goddess of light, an angel sent down from the heavens…"

Chelsea's eyebrow perked, "I am?"

Inuyasha's teeth were grinding together. Yeah, and Chelsea's jealousy was obvious…

"I never would have dreamt up such beauty. Even for a mortal woman… you are the sunlight…" he placed the back of her hand to his cheek, "my sunrise…"

Inuyasha couldn't stand it any longer, "Stop touching her!" Inuyasha swung at him once again. The young man separated himself from Chelsea for a bit, but was once again swirling around her in his water based form, "Chelsea, fight back!" Inuyasha commanded.

"But," Chelsea whispered. Deep down she didn't want to hurt this guy, he didn't seem like a bad person, demon or not. Not because of all the flattery, but the sheer loneliness in those beautiful eyes of his. The boy reappeared behind Chelsea, gently touching her hair, "Soft, gorgeous radiance, you've even managed to capture the sunlight in your hair…"

"Listen," Chelsea said, turning to him, pulling away from him a bit, "I don't know why you've come here, but there must be some mistake…"

"Chelsea," groaned Inuyasha, _"why is she being so nice to him? Is the flattery really working on her!"_

"You are the angel who struck down the half-demon named Naraku, were you not?" he asked, his voice as tender as ever.

"Well yes… but—" she stuttered.

He cupped her cheek in his hand, "I have been waiting for you… all my life…"

"Inuyasha!" called Kagome.

"We heard some commotion!" Miroku yelled, coming up to Inuyasha with Sango and the others in tow, "Who's that guy? And why is he being handsy with Chelsea?"

Inuyasha wished he could snap Miroku in two with that handsy comment, "I don't know… but he claims to know her…"

"Huh?" Kagome wondered, _"How is that possible? Could Inuyasha have misunderstood?"_

"Waiting for me?" asked Chelsea, "I'm just a mere mortal though…"

Rain started to dribble down from the sky, "Please come with me, my fair sweet Chelsea," he pleaded.

"Not happening!" Inuyasha roared, hurling a rapid wind scar toward him.

Instead of leaping out of the way, the group was amazed to find that he had actually protected Chelsea from the blast, "You vile beast!" protested the young demon, "Why do you persist to irritate me? You nearly struck this innocent girl!"

"I'm aiming for you, idiot! Let Chelsea go! She's… she's with me!" Inuyasha forced the last words out.

"Inuyasha," Chelsea whispered.

"I see," said the young demon prince, "Well I cannot simply leave my darling beauty with a mongrel like yourself!" he started to float off, with Chelsea in his arms, "If you wish to hash it out, then come to my palace in Haifu Canyon… we will see who is worthy of this woman's hand," in the blink of an eye they both turned into water vapor and were carried off by the wind.

"Dammit," Inuyasha cursed, "Why does this continue to happen? Why does something always manage to pull us apart?" he sighed, "Maybe fate's trying to tell us something…"

"Inuyasha, don't say that," Kagome urged.

"Things like this just happen. It cannot be helped," Miroku agreed.

"Besides, the good news is, is that guy has two sacred jewel shards! We're closer to completing the jewel!" Kagome smiled, "So don't give up! You and Chelsea will finally get to be together peacefully once the jewel is in one piece again."

"Yeah," Inuyasha murmured, _"just when I was about to ask her too…" _he thought.

Wasting no more time, the gang started off for Haifu Canyon…

Author's Notes: Sorry for the stalling of updates. Been rather busy, but I'll have some free time in the next few days, so keep checking back for updates. So who is this mysterious Romeo? Why does he have such strong feelings for Chelsea? And finally, what question did Inuyasha wish to ask Chelsea? Stay tuned. ;) Thanks for reading, please leave me a lovely comment or review! ;D

"_Kiss the rain_

_Whenever you need me_

_Kiss the rain_

_Whenever I'm gone, too long._

_If your lips_

_Feel lonely and thirsty_

_Kiss the rain_

_And wait for the dawn._

_Keep in mind_

_We're under the same sky_

_And the nights_

_As empty for me, as for you_

_If ya feel_

_You can't wait till morinin'_

_Kiss the rain…"_

_~Kiss the Rain, Billie Myers_


	25. Chapter 25: Sealed with a Kiss

The Bond of Silver and Gold

Chapter 25: Sealed with a Kiss

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of the original characters, plot, or storyline. I only own my fan-made character and her story.

"_What a weakling," laughed Raiden, commander of thunder and lightning._

"_That's our little brother for you," nodded Fuyuki, who possessed the harsh cold of winter in the palm of his hands._

"_He's so useless… rain isn't a power, all he can do is turn into water drops and float away… how lame is that?" Iwao teased, mastermind behind all things earthshattering and groundbreaking._

_Hibiki, the final brother, and the oldest by one minute between the triplets: Iwao, Fuyuki, and himself, twisted the knife one last time, "How could anyone ever care for someone so pathetic?"_

_Haruo, the youngest brother, was cursed with the ability of rain, but that was it. With such a useless power, and with his older brothers constantly telling him of his uselessness, he felt so beside himself. He spent a lot of time alone. He wondered if anyone really could ever love him, but his mother had told him so many stories._

_Stories of a beautiful woman that was light in its purest form. Her warmth would find him and show him love. Together the two would make a beautiful bow of colors and find happiness in each shade. He fell in love with this girl, through all the stories his mother would tell him as he grew up. When he heard that such a woman really existed, he didn't stop until he had finally found her._

Chelsea awoke to find herself in a lavish room lying across a lovely bed with satin sheets and decoration. The sun was shining through a balcony, almost blindsiding her. Slowly she got to her feet and started for the balcony. There, her captor, Haruo stood quietly with his thoughts.

He turned to her, "Good morning lovely," he smiled, "how're you feeling?"

Chelsea stared at him for a moment, "Why did you bring me here?"

"I wish for you to stay with me," he said, "I will not force you… but I want you to know that… perhaps if you got to know me," he stepped toward her and took her hands in his own, "I would try my best to make you happy."

She was flattered but, "What's your name?" she asked.

"Haruo," he replied.

"Haruo," she started, "please understand, it's not my intention to hurt your feelings, but… I cannot accept your offer," she tried to be as compassionate as possible.

"It's that half-demon boy isn't it?" he asked.

"I love him very much, Haruo." Chelsea explained, "He gives me purpose… he makes me very happy…" though she was starting to doubt whether she did the same for him.

"I see," he whispered, and smiled, "Well, if he comes to find you, I will not refuse your decision to leave with him," he turned away and looked to the sky, "I always sort of prepared myself for this… that'd you'd find another… that I'd be too late… but I always kept hoping someday you would be mine… it's all I had to hope for," he turned back at her, still wearing that smile that seemed so filled with sorrow and loneliness, "So I thought at the very least I could test him to make sure he's worthy enough to have you… that's all."

"How do you know me?" she asked gently.

"My mother," he told her, "she always told me that it was just fable that the rain would block out the sun and that the two were bitter rivals, but in actual fact, without the two, there wasn't a balance… living things could not prosper, and there would be no rainbows…" he looked to her, "I fell in love with the sun, the lady of light… you my dear."

Chelsea blushed slightly, "I'm sorry… I really don't mean to hurt you…"

He came toward her, "I know. Your heart is too kind for that…" he put his hand on top of her head, "but if you would please… just spend a little time with me… let me get to know you a little… if I can spend just a few moments with you, then a lifetime of waiting… it will have been far more than worth it."

"Of course," she nodded, _"Poor guy… so kind and caring… and so lonely…"_

"Brother!" roared the low voice of another demon. In stepped Raiden, the brother who always liked to rub in Haruo's face that he had the true powers, thunder and lightning, "I got you a little something!"

Haruo put his arm around Chelsea, as a gesture to protect her, "That's one of my brothers, Raiden… he's brash so try not to say anything… he might try to devour you."

When Raiden laid eyes on Chelsea his eyes grew round, "Woah Haruo! Whatcha got there?" he held up a young girl, "I'll trade ya! Come on!"

Chelsea's heart stopped. She knew that girl, "Rin!" she cried.

"Hmm?" asked Raiden, "it appears she knows the child."

"Haruo, please, don't let him hurt Rin," Chelsea pleaded.

"Give me the girl, Raiden," growled Haruo.

"First give me the blondie, and then I'll give you the girl," protested Raiden with a toothy grin.

"Not in a million years," Haruo growled, "Give me the girl now."

For once, Haruo was showing a backbone. This stirred something inside Raiden, "Whatever," he grumbled, tossing the child at Haruo.

Haruo caught the unconscious child and held her to his body. He was relieved she was alive. If she had already been dead, he couldn't imagine the horror that would have appeared on Chelsea's pale, yet beautiful face.

Chelsea took Rin in her arms, "Rin, are you okay?"

Rin regained consciousness, "Huh? Where am I? Jaken? Lord Sesshomaru?" she blinked, "Chelsea?"

"You were kidnapped by a demon I think… it's okay though, I'll get you back to Sesshomaru okay?" Chelsea smiled.

"Were you kidnapped too?" wondered the curious girl.

Chelsea glanced over at Haruo, "You could say that…" she turned to Haruo, "You don't want Sesshomaru showing up here… he wouldn't hesitate to try to kill all of you for something your one brother did."

"A human? My brothers would surely destroy him," Haruo replied confidently.

"Uh… try the meanest and most powerful demon," nervous joked Chelsea, completely serious.

"Really?" asked Haruo, "What does he want with this little girl?"

"Your guess is as good as anyone… but I think he just really cares about her…" she turned to Rin, taking her hand, "I need to go find him and return her to him…"

"Wait, if he's dangerous you should not go alone," Haruo said, sad he didn't get the time with her he desired.

"Don't worry about me," grinned Chelsea, "Sesshomaru's pretty laid back when it comes to me. I've helped Rin before so I don't think he'll attack me," with that, she hoisted Rin up into her arms and leapt off the balcony, taking flight. If she could get a good distance from the castle, they could set off on foot.

As they walked Chelsea started to break the silence with Rin, "What happened exactly?"

"I was picking flowers for Lord Sesshomaru… when all the sudden that man took me away… Jaken was supposed to be watching after me, but he had fallen asleep somewhere nearby," the little girl explained.

"Hope the poor imp is still alive then," Chelsea thought to herself. She stopped walking when Sesshomaru appeared before them.

"Rin," Sesshomaru murmured, but his eyes seem to be aimed right through Chelsea, "I want you to go find someplace to hide," Chelsea looked over her shoulder to see Haruo close behind them. He just couldn't trust she'd be safe on her own.

"_Oh no, Sesshomaru thinks…!"_ Chelsea panicked, "Wait, Sesshomaru, he didn't do it!"

Before the words left her lips he had his poison claws in Haruo's chest and out through his back, "No mercy," whispered Sesshomaru.

Life started fleeting from Haruo's face as he fell to the ground, "No!" cried Chelsea's shattering scream, "Haruo!" she came up to him and held his head in her hands, "No, please be okay…"

"He _was _strong," whispered Haruo weakly, "I've always been such a weakling… I got careless… but I had to make sure you were okay, that he wouldn't harm you…" he touched her cheek gently, "I'm glad I get to see an angel's face before death… I will always love yo—" his expression went blank, his eyes cold.

Chelsea started choking on tears. The poor guy was innocent the whole time. He was so sad and lonely. Why was Sesshomaru so hungry on destroying everything!

Rin eyes started to swell up with tears, "My lord, he was innocent… he helped us escape… he was really nice… he wasn't the one…"

Sesshomaru's eyes grew only slightly in surprise, but thinking what Rin said through, obviously, if he was wherever the real culprit had taken Rin, he was a part of her abduction somehow. Why else would Chelsea have been kidnapped too? No doubt Inuyasha was too weak to fight off the very man he had just struck down.

Chelsea slowly rose to her feet, "I'm sorry, Rin,"

"Sorry?" asked Rin, "For what?"

"For what I'm about to do," Chelsea whipped around and struck Sesshomaru's armor, just barely missing him. He didn't expect such retaliation after saving the girl's life, "You are cruel!"

"Am I?" Sesshomaru wondered, "I saved your life. I don't see where cruelty comes in," Sesshomaru put his hand on his hilt, "I will say this only once, do not strike me out of anger like that halfwit Inuyasha. Your vision is clouded by red… I will not hesitate to kill you as well."

"No…" whined Rin, "Please! Do not fight one another!" Jaken pulled Rin away from the two who appeared to be sizing each other up.

"Tell me Sesshomaru," her expression was almost twisted. Her rage was bubbling up inside her. She just couldn't stand watching someone die for meaningless causes, "You talk about being blinded by rage, well you acted on pure anger in striking Haruo down… and you succeeded did you not?" she spoke through bared teeth, yet she was smiling, "so tell me, what's the difference here? If I kill you."

"Take your best shot," Sesshomaru said, sounding like a warning. If she didn't lay into him with the first blow, she would surely be dead by the next attempt.

"One last thing," she murmured, "Where were you when Naraku perished?" this was quite possibly the most evil Sesshomaru had seen erupt from one human being, "because I was there, when he was lying at my feet!" she came charging toward him, about to send a massive blow of light at his body, when a gigantic, and familiar blade came crashing in front of her, separating the two of them. This caused Chelsea to jump back, torn from her anger and hurled into surprise.

"What the hell are you doing!" barked Inuyasha.

"Inuyasha," Chelsea murmured, the adrenaline rush immediately wearing down.

"Inuyasha," Sesshomaru expected him to intervene, "it appears this girl now has a vendetta against me."

"Were you the one who slaughtered that demon Sesshomaru? Why?" Inuyasha questioned. This had to be why Chelsea came at Sesshomaru so viciously. Had she so easily fallen for another?

"No," Chelsea murmured, "I don't have a vendetta against you Sesshomaru… I just…" she sighed, "I'm sorry… this demon's brother was the one who took Rin away… he wasn't like his brothers… he was kind, caring… and he'd do whatever it took for the people he cherished… he reminded me of someone…" Chelsea said, passing a glance in Inuyasha's direction, "but at the end of the day, all you were doing was what you thought was right… had you known he wasn't the culprit, you would have never struck him down just for the fun of it… that's not your style at all. You fight with a purpose… my actions were careless…"

Sesshomaru stared deeply into the eyes of the girl, wondering what changed her mind so quickly. Perhaps in seeing Inuyasha, her vision was suddenly cleared, like the clouds parting from the sun, "Rin, Jaken, we're leaving," with that, the demon dog went on his way.

"Bye Chelsea, I'm sorry!" cried Rin, waving her hand as she ran off with Sesshomaru.

Chelsea let another sigh escape her lips, when suddenly an arm came around her and she was pulled into an embrace, "What were you thinking back there?" Inuyasha was shaking, not in anger, but in fear. The fear of losing her, of watching his brother kill her, it was too much.

"I just let my emotions get the better of me… I guess it happens when I let too much build up," she whispered.

He looked down into her eyes, "Did you… develop feelings for that guy?"

"Not in the way your assuming," Chelsea replied, "but he was very kind to me… he didn't deserve a death so cruel… he protected me, and Rin…" she smiled to herself and laughed, "You really think anyone could ever replace you Inuyasha?"

He blushed, "Well you went with him so willingly," he started to pout, turning away from her.

"And you say I get jealous," she teased.

"I'm not jealous," he growled.

Chelsea smirked, "Right," the lighthearted moment passed as she turned back to Haruo.

Inuyasha looked over his shoulder, "Take a good look," he told her, "Look at his expression Chelsea. He was feeling no pain in his death, no regrets… he got see you… I think that's all that mattered to him."

"Chelsea!" cried Shippo, running in front of the others who had finally caught up.

"Took ya long enough," scoffed the half demon.

"_When it comes to her, he has no conception of just how fast he can be,"_ Kagome thought to herself.

"Woah!" Shippo exclaimed, "Look at that!" he pointed to the sky.

Chelsea turned around to witness something that brought tears to her eyes: A double rainbow.

"Amazing," breathed Sango.

"_Haruo,"_ Chelsea thought, _"I'm sorry we never got to spend time together. I bet we could have been great friends… I'm sorry your ending came to soon…"_ she was happy that he gave her a sign. It gave her peace at mind that, wherever he was now, he was content with his life, and living for one purpose: her.

And he wasn't the only one…

With two more jewel shards collected, only maybe 3 remained. Their journey was coming to its end.

That night while the crickets hummed their songs and the campfire was starting to dull, the gang had retired leaving only Chelsea awake with Inuyasha off to fetch more firewood. He seemed sort of frazzled about something, but Chelsea couldn't seem to get it out of him. She shivered; it was a pretty chilly evening. Draping his robe over her shoulders he sat down beside her, "Cold?"

"Yeah," she answered, "but you'll get cold now."

"Hardly," he said, tossing sticks into the fire.

The two watched the small flame dance in silence, looking almost bewitched by its movements, "So what did you want to talk to me about?" she finally asked into the open air.

"_She remembered that?"_ Inuyasha thought nervously, _"Damn, she doesn't miss a beat!"_ he looked away from her, "It was nothing really. Just forget it."

"Inuyasha," she whispered, "Are you… tired of me?" his eyes bulged, "I feel like I've been a hassle lately, what with you going home with me, my dad, the cat, and now Haruo and the Sesshomaru thing… I guess I just want to know if it's too much for you… I mean I'll understand if… if you don't want to stay together after all the shards are found…"

He looked at her with a hard stare, "Where is this coming from? If it bothered me, you'd have heard about it by now," he made a good point. Inuyasha was very vocal when it came to things that annoyed him, "Unless you making goo goo eyes at pretty boy counts," he scoffed.

"I did no such thing!" she objected.

"How could you think I wouldn't want you anymore? Chelsea," he took a deep breath and turned to her, "you're… so stupid, you know that?"

"_And just when I thought he was going to be romantic, he insults me again…"_ she thought, getting ready to lash out at him.

"I wanted to talk to you about," he bared his teeth and looked up at the sky searching for answers. Sighing again, he grabbed onto her shoulders, "I wanted to know if… after we're finished collecting the shards… if you'll stay with me…" Chelsea was surprised, "And not just for a while but…" he looked away, his face flushing, "Chelsea I… I want you forever… I…" he looked down, completely ashamed, "I love you… how could you ever doubt that for an instant… it was killing me to see that guy so close to you… he was holding my entire world in his hands… don't you get that?"

"Inuyasha… are you asking me…?" she could barely get out the words.

He pressed his forehead to hers, "You shouldn't doubt anything because… it's you… it's always been you… it always will be… if… if you want me too…"

Was it rejection that had him so scared this entire time? "Inuyasha," oh how she loved that name, "Yes, I'll be with you… for the rest of our lives… there's no one I'd rather be beside."

Why this surprised him, he wasn't sure. Everything had gone so wrong for him in the past, it just felt like history would repeat itself and yet, it felt like an evil curse had been lifted from his shoulders. He placed a soft kiss on her forehead, and then her lips.

She placed her hand on his cheek and smiled at him, "We'll get through this, along with everything else… together. You don't have to worry about me not being there ever again, okay?" she told him.

They held onto each other tightly. Suddenly all the cold was restored to warmth. All doubts cast aside. It was sure now. They would never be apart.

Author's Notes: Yay! The jewel is almost complete! Not sure what I'm gonna do next chapter. I'll have to come up with something… I have a few ideas, so stay tuned! Thank you to all my loyal readers out there. Your reviews always make me wanna write more! So thank you so much for reading and responding! See ya next chapter! =D

"_And so here we are _

_Lovers of Lost Dimensions _

_Burning supernovas of all sound and sight _

_Every touch, a temptation _

_And for every sense, a sensation _

_And so here we are _

_Twin stars of brilliant brightness _

_Lanterns lit by life for all the depths of night _

_And every day will return us _

_To arms of the ever eternal…"_

_~Garden of Everything, Steve Conte & Maaya Sakamoto_


	26. Chapter 26: Inuyasha, my love

The Bond of Silver and Gold

Chapter 26: Inuyasha, my love

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of the original characters, plot, or storyline. I only own my fan-made character and her story.

"_Are you serious?" Kagome gasped, "He said that?" _

_As always girls were doing what they do best, "Well," Chelsea blushed, "He said I want you forever…"_

"_Oh my god!" cried Kagome with a bright smile, "Do you realize he proposed to you?"_

"_You think that's what he meant?" Chelsea asked doubtfully._

"_Of course," Kagome settled down, "He adores you. The very thought of losing you sends him off in this whirlwind of depression…"_

_Chelsea's face grew redder, "I suppose you're right…"_

"_Promise I can be your maid of honor?" Kagome giggled._

As Chelsea sat back with her gang of friends, they seemed to be patiently awaiting the absence of one of their members. Kaede wished to speak with Kagome alone, so the rest decided to take a break after traveling for days with little luck with their pursuit of the jewel shards, "So… I thought about something…" Chelsea murmured.

"What is it Chelsea?" Inuyasha wondered.

"Well," Chelsea began, "What about the jewel shards Koga has… it's not like he's going to just hand them over."

Inuyasha chuckled sarcastically, "We could just skin the mangy wolf."

"Let's try a less hostile approach… maybe they're better left in his care," Chelsea shrugged.

"We did not come this far, just to leave the jewel incomplete. If some demon smashes that wolf, then they might fall into the wrong hands… we have no other choice than to get them back," Inuyasha argued.

"I doubt Koga will hand them over willingly. It will probably take some persuasion, but I bet with Kagome's help we might be able to get them back," said Miroku.

"What do you guys plan to do once the jewel is complete?" Chelsea asked.

"I'm going to rebuild my village that was destroyed by Naraku. After that, I plan to live there with Kohaku," Sango stated, flashing a small smile Miroku's way, "Miroku and I discussed starting a family but the decision is still up in the air."

Miroku grinned in response, "What about you two? Are you going to start a family?"

Inuyasha choked on his spring water at the monk's comment.

Chelsea lost all breath, "What?"

"You two are engaged, aren't you?" Shippo asked innocently.

Chelsea's eyes shifted to Inuyasha, but her body was stone stiff.

Inuyasha looked away and took another sip of water to clear his throat, "It's a bit early to be making plans for a family isn't it?"

"_He didn't deny that we were engaged,"_ Chelsea's eyes widened with surprise, "I agree with Inuyasha," she spoke up, "We're taking our time… and we'll make decisions based on when we're both ready."

Inuyasha was happy Chelsea didn't deny that they were in fact engaged. There was still apart of him getting used to this warmth in his chest. This happiness he had never felt before with anyone else.

Kagome approached her group of friends and sat down quietly.

"So," Chelsea started, "what happened?"

Kagome silently held out her hand, palm up, and opened it. Inside it, was the final jewel shard, minus the two Koga still had left in his possession. Everyone was shocked at this site, "Apparently, Kikyo dropped this off to Kaede, claiming to give it to me once we returned back to the village."

"Wonder why she'd do that…?" Inuyasha mumbled.

Chelsea's eyes turned to Inuyasha yet again, _"Maybe she wanted Kagome to be the soul decider of whether Inuyasha and I would be together… once the jewel is complete, we can finally start living our lives together…"_ her eyes turned sad, "We still have to collect the two shards Koga has."

"Leave it to me," Kagome flashed a smile, "don't worry Chelsea. I'll make sure to get them back," she stood to her feet, "Sango, can I borrow Kirara?"

Chelsea was confused, "You don't want us all to go?"

"I think I'll have a better chance trying to convince him if it's just the two of us," Kagome replied, hopping of the two tail's back, "See you guys in a little while!" with that she was off again.

Kagome was trying really hard to make sure nothing would tear Chelsea and Inuyasha apart. She was so selfless like that. Seeing the two of them together, seeing Inuyasha and Chelsea that happy, it filled her with happiness. Plus, she really wanted to be a maid of honor.

The wolf den was quiet that afternoon. Koga had returned back to his clan after catching wind that Naraku had been defeated. It bothered him that it wasn't by his own hand that Naraku was killed, but it was alright since Mutt Face didn't finish him off either.

"Hey Koga," Kagome called, pulling herself off of Kirara, "long time no see."

Koga was expecting her to come by sooner or later, "Hey Kagome," he greeted.

As she approached him, he held his hand out to her, revealing the two jewel shards in his possession, "You want these right? I figured the Mutt would have you come by and collect them after Naraku was defeated and all."

"Yes," Kagome nodded, "but I also wanted to talk to you Koga… if you don't mind."

Koga raised an eyebrow, "Sure, whatever you want."

The two decided to take a walk together. Koga was confused as to why she wanted to talk, but he was always willing to listen. She was his woman after all, "I was wondering… could I visit you more often from now on?" she asked, "after the jewel is complete I won't have much to do," she left out school, because she doubted he'd understand, "but I want to keep coming here..." here being the feudal era, "but I want the others to get the alone time they deserve so…"

"Did Doll Face and Mutt Face hook up?" Koga wondered.

"Yeah, but that's not why I'm saying it," Kagome smiled, "I want to get to know you more, that's all."

Koga smirked, "You can come see me anytime you like Kagome. You're always welcome here."

Back with the others, Chelsea seemed to be walking around aimlessly looking for Inuyasha. Where could he have gone? He left without saying anything. Did he go to find Kikyo perhaps? Her heart sank at the thought. What would she do if she caught them together? Would she be able to handle it? Getting more saddened with each step, she reached a clearing with a giant tree. Beneath the outstretched branches was a grave with freshly picked flowers sitting on top. Inuyasha sat beside the grave silently, gathering his thoughts.

"Hey you," Chelsea cooed.

Inuyasha turned to her, "Hey," he said simply.

"Whose grave is this?" she asked.

"My mother's," he murmured gently.

Chelsea knelt down in front of the grave and smiled, "I bet she was a very lovely person."

Inuyasha smiled, "She was. She was gentle, kind, and beautiful. She always loved me… no matter what I looked like or how I acted… or the trouble I caused for her."

"That's a mother's job," Chelsea told him. She tried to read his blank stare, "So," she started, "What are you going to do with the jewel? Have you decided?"

He looked at her, "Do?" he asked.

"Full-fledged demon?" she asked in response.

He looked down at the flowers, "You want me to stay how I am right?"

"Well, I want what you want," Chelsea said.

"Which is?" he asked with irritation.

She stared at him, "I'll love you no matter what… that's a promise I intend to keep."

Inuyasha shook his head and smirked, "I already told you a while ago… I'm staying just like this… until you say otherwise…" he looked to the sky, "We'll keep the jewel back at the shrine in Kaede's village just as before. It'll be safe there. I'll make sure of it."

"Do you wish to live there?" asked Chelsea.

Inuyasha turned his gaze, "Well, the others had me thinking… it's a really safe village. I wouldn't have to worry about you getting hurt and the people are really nice," his face turned a reddish hue, "and you know," he started to trip over his words, "if we ever did decide to have kids, they'd be safe too…"

Chelsea's face matched his in color, "You really think about that stuff?"

"Well yeah," he growled, "it's our future you know? Is it wrong to think about that stuff?"

Chelsea smiled bashfully, "No," she cuddled up close to him, "Not at all…"

The red never vanished from his face as he pulled her closer to him. The two exchanged a silent moment and then, "We should get back to the others…"

"Yeah," Chelsea murmured, "with any luck… maybe Kagome's back with some sort of news…"

When they returned, Kagome was with the others, "About time you two showed up! Look!" she held up the completed jewel between her index finger and thumb.

Chelsea's jaw dropped, after all their hard work, it was over.

But she had no conception of just how far Inuyasha went to ensure the jewel was complete. The one who couldn't believe it the most was him. All that hard work, it finally paid off. A smile spread across his face, a rare sight for all of them, "Finally…" he breathed.

"Inuyasha, are you going to use the jewel to become a full demon?" Shippo questioned.

"No," he murmured in deep thought.

"_I want these lips, those cute dog ears, those lovely golden irises, and the pure heart that goes with them… please don't change Inuyasha…"_

He recalled Chelsea's words that night, "This is who I am… who I've always been. I'm not here, nor there… I'm right here," he looked back to Chelsea, "and that's where I always want to be."

_I walked across an empty land…_

Chelsea wrapped her arms around him tightly, "I love you," she whispered.

_I knew the pathway like the back of my hand…_

Some time passed…

_I felt the earth, beneath my feet…_

_Sat by the river and it made me complete…_

As the double doors of the temple opened, in came a girl dressed in a lavish dress, her hair designed to perfection. Her complexion pale as a newborn child. Chelsea took his hands in hers and smiled at him. Inuyasha always was the same person. Even now on their special day he dressed the same which made her laugh a little, but didn't bother her like it might most brides.

_Oh simple thing, where have you gone?_

_I'm getting old and I need something to rely on…_

Kaede smiled at the two of them, "Well, go on… ye may kiss the bride."

As they both gently kissed each other, both nervous having the audience, all their friends hooted and hollered at them.

_And if you have a minute why don't we go…_

_Talk about it somewhere only we know…_

Instead of picking Chelsea up bridal style Inuyasha whisked her away as he always did, on his back.

Behind Kaede there the jewel sat, complete once more. This is where it would remain, safely out of any demon's hands. It was no longer tainted, for it was unified by love. The love of family, the love of friends, the love of strangers who they might never meet again, and… the love of each other. Ultimately, it was love that saved the half demon boy from making a bad decision. Through the unconditional love he received from Chelsea, he found a part of himself he really did like. The part he was completely blind to until she came along. This blinding light could now be found inside the jewel, as it brought peace and happiness to the land, and to the group of friends— family, who put it back together, piece by piece.

_Somewhere only we know…_

_Somewhere only we know…_

Author's Notes: The stuff in italics is lyrics from a song called, "Somewhere Only We Know," By: Keane. I hope you enjoyed the final chapter…_ I might come back and write more little misadventures about these guys later_, but for now I'm already working on my next story. Those of you who like FullMetal Alchemist, please be on the look out for my new story (once it's posted). Thanks again to everyone who was with me from the start, wrote lovely reviews and kept coming back to see what would happen next. I love you all. Have a wonderful day and thanks again! :D


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